CAMBODIA: The tragic incident occurred in a remote village in Siem Reap province, located in northwestern Cambodia, where the remnants of the country’s brutal civil war continue to pose risks. Two toddlers, cousins aged two, tragically lost their lives after accidentally triggering an unexploded grenade believed to have been buried since the 1980s or 1990s. The children were playing and digging in the soil when the explosion took place, possibly due to one of them striking the grenade with an object. While one child died instantly, the other succumbed to injuries at the hospital, leaving their families devastated by this reminder of the ongoing dangers of war remnants.
The Khmer Rouge conflict, which ravaged Cambodia for decades, left the country littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance. Despite more than 25 years of peace, the lethal legacy of these devices still claims lives, especially among young children who often unknowingly stumble upon dangerous munitions. Heng Ratana, the director of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), remarked that although the war ended long ago, the tragic reality is that landmines continue to harm innocent Cambodians. The incident underlines the urgency of clearing unexploded ordnance from the country’s soil.
This event occurred after a brief pause in Cambodia’s demining efforts, caused by a temporary suspension of U.S. aid. The aid freeze was implemented following a directive from President Donald Trump in 2019, but funding resumed after a waiver was granted. Despite this setback, Cambodia continues to prioritize the clearance of landmines and unexploded munitions, especially in areas like Siem Reap, where battlefronts were once active during the civil war. The resumption of demining operations offers hope that fewer tragic accidents will occur in the future.
Cambodia faces immense challenges in its mine clearance efforts. Over 1,600 square kilometers of land remain contaminated by mines, affecting nearly a million people. The Cambodian government had initially set a goal of being mine-free by 2025, but due to funding shortages and the discovery of new minefields, the timeline has been pushed back to 2030. The fatalities from landmines, including those of deminers and civilians, serve as a stark reminder that while the war may have ended, its deadly remnants continue to haunt Cambodia’s future.
