Funeral held for 20 Cambodian soldiers killed in army base explosion

A tragic incident at an army base in southwestern Cambodia has left 20 soldiers dead and several others wounded in a massive explosion of stored munitions. The blast, which occurred on Saturday afternoon in Kompong Speu province, also caused damage to nearby houses.

On Sunday, a funeral was held for the fallen soldiers, with Defense Minister Tea Seiha presiding over the Buddhist ceremony. Cambodian flags covered the wooden coffins as relatives and fellow soldiers paid their respects to the victims.

One villager, Chim Sothea, described the terrifying moment when the explosion shook his house and caused tiles to fall from his roof. Nearby buildings on the base were badly damaged, with roofs blown off and soldiers receiving treatment in a hospital.

The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but there are no indications that it was deliberate. The incident has raised concerns about the storage and handling of munitions, especially in the midst of a heat wave that has been affecting the region.

This tragic event serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by poorly stored or mishandled munitions. A report by the Small Arms Survey in 2014 highlighted the global problem of unplanned explosions at munitions sites, emphasizing the need for proper safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.