Synopsis
Cambodia has halted its mine clearance operations in eight provinces due to a funding freeze from the US, as confirmed by the head of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre. This suspension, lasting 85 days, follows a directive for a 90-day pause on foreign aid.Key Takeaways
- Cambodia suspends mine clearance in eight provinces.
- Funding freeze by the US affects ongoing projects.
- CMAC had significant achievements before suspension.
- Landmines and ERWs pose serious dangers in Cambodia.
- US President's directive led to the funding halt.
Phnom Penh, Jan 31 (NationPress) Cambodia has suspended mine clearance initiatives across eight provinces due to a funding freeze from the United States, as announced by a mine clearance official on Friday.
Heng Ratana, the Director-General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), reported that US-funded mine clearance operations in Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng have been paused for 85 days starting January 25.
In a statement shared on social media, he detailed that these initiatives, executed by CMAC in collaboration with various development partners, aim to eliminate unexploded ordnance left from US military actions.
According to Ratana, CMAC had received a grant of $6.35 million from the US for mine clearance activities from March 2022 until November 2025, facilitating the work of around 200 technical Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) specialists.
Under these initiatives, CMAC has achieved significant milestones, having cleared 561 polygons or 11,195 hectares of land contaminated with cluster munitions and UXOs, while locating and dismantling 27,022 landmines and UXOs, which included 17,971 cluster munitions and 69 aerial bombs, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This suspension follows a directive from US President Donald Trump last week, which called for a comprehensive 90-day halt on foreign aid, encompassing the cessation of funded mine clearance projects globally.
Cambodia is notably one of the countries severely impacted by landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERWs). An estimated four to six million landmines and other munitions remain from over three decades of conflict that concluded in 1998.
According to Yale University, between 1965 and 1973, the US dropped more than 2.75 million tons of ordnance across 230,516 sorties targeting 113,716 sites in Cambodia.
The CMAA's report indicates that from 1979 to 2024, explosions from landmines and ERWs have resulted in 19,834 fatalities and left 45,252 individuals injured.
