Cambodia sees 24-pct drop in landmine/UXO casualties in Q1

Cambodia reported 19 landmine and unexploded ordnances (UXOs) casualties in the first three months of 2017, a 24-percent decrease compared with 25 casualties over the same period last year, according to the latest report released on Friday.

During the January-March period this year, three persons were killed, down from 12 deaths over the same period last year, said the report of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, adding that 16 others were either injured or limps amputated, up from 13.

"Seventy-eight percent of the victims were men, 11 percent were boys, and the rest were women and girls," the report said.

Cambodia is one of the most landmine-affected countries in the world. An estimated 4 to 6 million landmines and other munitions were left over from nearly three decades of war that ended in 1998.

According to the report, landmine and UXO explosions had killed 19,751 people and either injured or amputated 44,930 others from 1979 to March 2017.

The Southeast Asian country is seeking around 338 million U.S. dollars within 10 years to entirely get rid of all types of mines and explosive remnants of war. Endit