PhnomPenhPost-May 9, 2022

Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) experts will continue to search for nine AN-M66 bombs and conduct a thorough study before defusing recently found bombs in the Chaktomuk River across from the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on May 5. CMAC director-general Heng Ratana said 11 AN-M66 or AN-M34 bombs may have been dropped in the Cambodian territory during the war between 1970 and 1975. “Not all of the bombs exploded. I make it clear that during the war, we know that 11 bombs were dropped, but not just in the place,” he said on May 9. Although Ratana did not reveal where the bombs were dropped in Cambodia, he said the AN-M66 bomb found in the Chaktomuk River was the second of 11 bombs. The bomb, found by Phnom Penh municipal workers while carrying out work on the riverbed near Sokha Hotel on the Chroy Changvar peninsula, was located about 3m deep in the muddy ground. Accordingly, it was revealed that the US-manufactured bomb contained 500kg of explosives and weighed nearly 1,000kg in total. Ratana said Cambodia was fortunate that the bomb did not explode. Had it gone off, it would have injured many people and caused serious damage to nearby properties including the Royal Palace. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/mine-team-continues-search-one-tonne-air-bombs