AKP Phnom Penh, December 03, 2025 --

The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has discovered 25 cluster submunitions in a former conflict zone of Oddar Meanchey province, the latest find linked to fighting that flared along the Cambodia-Thailand border in late July.

The discovery, made by demining teams during clearance operations on Dec. 1-2, highlights the persistent danger posed by new explosive remnants of war (ERW) in border communities.

The unexploded ordnance, identified as M46-type cluster submunitions fired from 155mm artillery shells, were found in Tamone Senchey village, Banteay Ampil district. CMAC Director-General H.E. Heng Ratana confirmed the area was impacted by hostilities between July 24 and 28, 2025.

Speaking on Tuesday, H.E. Heng Ratana emphasised the immediate threat to civilians. He urged residents in all 77 villages affected by the recent fighting in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces to exercise extreme caution, noting that unexploded cluster munitions are still scattered across the territory.

He cited a tragic incident on October 25 where a 10-year-old child was killed and the child’s father seriously injured after the child detonated a cluster munition.

The Director-General also used the discovery to underscore the varying commitments of the two countries to international weapons treaties:
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): Both Cambodia and Thailand are state parties.
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Treaty): Both countries are state parties.
Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM): Neither country is a state party. H.E. Heng Ratana noted that Cambodia has not used cluster munitions in the conflict, while Thailand has.

By K. Rithy Reak