The number of people injured or killed by landmines dropped by 26% in the first four months of this year, according to a report from the Department of Mine Risk Education and Victim Assistance and Post- clearance Development of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre.

The decrease in the number of mine and UXO victims is due to the ongoing public awareness campaign, which regularly shares messages from the government of Cambodia, CMAA and CMAC urging people to remain alert to mine-related dangers, such as handling unexploded ordnance.

According to the report, from January to April 2025, there were 17 victims of mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO), casualties compared to the same period last year, which recorded 23 victims. Among the 17 cases, seven were caused by landmines and 10 by UXOs. There were five deaths, 11 injuries, and one case of disability. Nine were men, two were women, five were boys, and one a girl under 18. The data from these incidents was entered into the CMAA’s national database system to analyze and interpret the situation regarding landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents. The information was then shared with relevant institutions in mine action sectors, as well as victim assistance operators, to be incorporated into their planning.

Challenges remain, and further incidents continue to occur due to incomplete data collection on landmines. In some remote areas, it is difficult to deliver educational messages, and awareness remains limited – especially among children. Nevertheless, the CMAC has made efforts to raise awareness in schools. Approximately 50% of the accidents have taken place outside of hazardous areas that have been surveyed. Mines and ERW have killed and injured over 65,000 people in Cambodia since 1979. Annual casualties decreased from 4,320 in 1996 to 49 in 2024. However, mines and ERW continue to kill, injure, and traumatize people and communities, and impede social and economic recovery and sustainable development in affected areas. Throughout Cambodia, an estimated one million people still live and work in areas contaminated by mines, cluster munitions, and other ERW.

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