(MENAFN) A China-supported initiative to remove landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Cambodia has cleared more than 160 square kilometers of contaminated land, benefiting over 2.6 million people, according to officials.

Heng Ratana, director general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), posted on social media his appreciation for the Chinese government and citizens for providing grant support to implement the China-Aided Cambodia Landmine Elimination Project, which runs from 2018 to February 2026.

From 2018 through July 2025, CMAC has successfully released over 160 square kilometers of land from landmine and UXO contamination and discovered and destroyed more than 95,700 explosive devices, directly aiding millions of residents.

Cambodia remains one of the countries most affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war. It is estimated that between 4 and 6 million landmines and other munitions were left from decades of conflict ending in 1998.

Reports indicate that from October 1965 to August 1973, over 2.75 million tons of ordnance were dropped on Cambodian territory in more than 230,000 sorties. Between 1979 and June 2025, landmine and UXO incidents resulted in 19,843 deaths and 45,267 injuries, according to Cambodian government figures.

The country has committed to eliminating all types of landmines and explosive remnants by 2030.

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