Fatal cluster bomb blast sparks alert

Unexploded ordnance remnants are seen Banteay Meanchey province on March 20. CMAA

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Synopsis: A civilian died, and another suffered severe injuries after a cluster munition from the 2025 border conflict with Thailand exploded in Banteay Meanchey province.

Authorities issued a nationwide alert Friday following a fatal explosion involving unexploded ordnance near the Thai border.

The blast occurred on March 19 in Svay Chek district when two villagers handled an M46 submunition. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) confirmed the device was a remnant of 155mm projectiles used during last year’s military hostilities.

“Civilians and children continue to suffer death and disability due to these explosives,” the CMAA said. The agency said that Thai military activity in 2025 violated Cambodian sovereignty, leaving behind a lethal trail of artillery shells and aerial bombs that displaced tens of thousands of families.

CMAA First Vice-President Ly Thuch urged the public to avoid touching suspicious objects. He noted that war remnants pose a threat not only to lives but also to the economic stability of border communities in provinces such as Preah Vihear and Battambang.

“Our commitment is that no civilian will be left to suffer,” Thuch said, noting that demining teams are working to clear the hazardous zones.

Despite ongoing clearance efforts, the CMAA warned that thousands of unexploded devices still lie scattered across former battlefields, maintaining a constant risk to farmers and residents returning to their land.

-Khmer Times-
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