(Phnom Penh): Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) Director General Heng Ratana condemned the Thai military’s use of cluster munitions against Cambodian civilian areas and troops during the 2025 border conflict, calling it a grave violation of international law.

Heng Ratana presented the ASEAN observers and foreign military attachés about Thailand’s remnants of war on Cambodia's territorial integrity after 2025 conflicts, held at the CMAC Headquarters in Phnom Penh on 31 August 2026.

He highlighted the dangers posed by cluster munitions, noting that unexploded submunitions can remain lethal to civilians long after hostilities have ended.

According to CMAC findings, some cluster bombs used by Thai forces contained 49 to 56 submunitions, with an estimated failure rate of at least 25 to 30 per cent, leaving potentially dangerous unexploded ordnance on the ground.

CMAC estimates that cluster bomb strikes affected more than 2,700 square kilometres of Cambodian territory. The conflict also directly threatened 349 villages across seven provinces, forcing more than 640,000 people to evacuate.

According to Heng Ratana, CMAC has investigated 335 villages and identified more than 386,880 hectares affected by remnants of war attributed to the conflict, including approximately 295,096 hectares contaminated by cluster munitions.

He added that CMAC is accelerating clearance operations in affected areas to protect communities, facilitate the safe return of displaced residents, and support Cambodia’s longer-term development.
=FRESH NEWS