PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Tragically, a rocket-propelled grenade, estimated to be over 25 years old, resulted in the deaths of two toddlers, a boy and a girl, both just 2 years old, when it detonated near their homes in northwestern Cambodia on Saturday, according to officials.
The incident occurred in the Svay Leu district of Siem Reap province, an area that experienced intense combat during the conflict between Cambodian government forces and the Khmer Rouge rebels throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The Khmer Rouge regime was toppled in 1979.
The two young victims, Muo Lisa and her cousin Thum Yen, were playing in their remote village of Kranhuong when they came across the unexploded munitions while their parents were busy with farm work. Following the explosion, experts from the Cambodian Mine Action Center identified the remnants as a rocket-propelled grenade.
Such old unexploded ordnance poses significant risks, as their unstable explosive materials can become increasingly volatile as they age.
“The parents moved to a location that was once a battlefield, unaware of any hidden land mines or unexploded devices in the vicinity of their homes,” remarked Heng Ratana, Director-General of CMAC. “It’s tragic that these young lives were lost in such a manner.”
Over the years, Cambodia has been laden with approximately 4 to 6 million land mines and unexploded munitions that were left scattered across its landscape as a consequence of the decades-long conflict that spanned from 1970 until 1998.
Since the conclusion of hostilities in Cambodia, nearly 20,000 lives have been lost, and around 45,000 individuals have suffered injuries due to remaining war-related explosives. Fortunately, the number of casualties has decreased over the years, with only 49 deaths reported last year.
“Though the war has ended, and peace has reignited for over 25 years, the legacy of land mines continues to claim Cambodian lives,” Heng Ratana stated in a recent Facebook post.
Cambodia is noted for having some of the most experienced deminers globally, with several thousand having been deployed in the last decade under the United Nations’ guidance to assist in demining efforts in Africa and the Middle East.
The country’s demining initiatives were highlighted recently when the U.S. suspended financial assistance for such activities in eight provinces due to a temporary freeze on foreign aid announced by President Donald Trump. Nevertheless, Heng Ratana confirmed that a waiver from Washington has been granted to continue funding, amounting to $6.36 million, which is designated to support efforts from March 2022 until November 2025.
