World

Cambodian ammunition explosion kills 20 soldiers

By AAP Newswire

Apr 28, 2024

Cambodian soldiers — An ammunition explosion has killed 20 soldiers in western Cambodia, officials say. -EPA

Twenty soldiers have been killed and several others injured in an ammunition explosion at a base in the west of Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Manet says.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Hun Manet said in a Facebook post that he was "deeply shocked" when he received the news of the explosion at the base in Kampong Speu province.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion and Hun Manet did not say in his post on Facebook.

He offered condolences to the soldiers' families and promised the government would pay for their funerals and provide compensation both to those killed and those injured.

Pictures from the scene showed a destroyed building still smouldering, and soldiers receiving treatment in a hospital.

Kiripost, an online English language news service, quoted a nearby resident as saying a major explosion occurred about 2.30pm, followed by smaller blasts for another hour.

Pheng Kimneang was quoted as saying the windows of a factory nearby were shattered, and homes as far as a kilometer (half a mile) away suffered minor damage. Photos of the base show it in a large field, apparently with no civilian structures close by.

Hun Manet, a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, was promoted to be a four-star general shortly before he was elected to serve as prime minister, succeeding his autocratic father Hun Sen.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press