One of the MK-84 bombs dropped by the Thai air force is inspected by a CMAC operator. - CMAC via PPP/ANN
PHNOM PENH: Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), has noted that the CMAC records indicate that the Thai military dropped 1,549 bombs on Oddar Meanchey province.
He shared his finding on Sunday, August 10, as 14 foreign defence attachés inspected an unexploded MK-84 bomb that was dropped by the Thai Air Force in Thmor Doun village, Kouk Mon commune, Banteay Ampil district.
The attachés represented nine countries: Australia, Canada, the UK, China, Japan, South Korea, France, Laos and Vietnam.
Ratana explained that the 3.5 metre MK-84 bomb, which weighs around 1,000kg, was manufactured in 1996. He noted that of the ten MK-84s dropped, six did not explode. CMAC operators have identified the locations of the weapons and will clear them in the near future.
“Based on operational war records from the Oddar Meanchey front, 1,549 bombs were dropped. CMAC is deploying technical teams for surveying, marking and clearing the areas affected by bombing and shelling, to provide safety for the residents returning home,” he said.
On Monday last week, August 4, specialists from CMAC, as well as international demining and ordnance removal agencies Golden West and Norwegian People’s Aid visited and assessed one of the unexploded MK-84s.
They identified the date of manufacture as 1996, as part of Lot No. IMI96GO15-11. The resident representative of Golden West in Cambodia, a former US Marine Corps EOD operator, confirmed the data, noting that it was likely manufactured under licence by Israel Military Industries (IMI).
He stated at the time that it was very clear that the weapon was manufactured in 1996 and was clearly not a remnant of the Kingdom’s earlier wars.
The inspection followed denials by Thailand that it had employed MK-84s. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
