Thousands of unexploded ordnance found in schoolyard

Thousands of unexploded military munitions were found in the garden of a school in northeastern Cambodia.

According to the BBC report, the school was temporarily closed due to the incident.

The South Asian country is one of the world’s most heavily mined countries after the bloody civil war that ended 48 years ago. Queen Kosomak Secondary School in Kratie Province was used as a military post at the time.

Photos taken from the school’s garden show tons of explosives meticulously lined up, including rusty grenades and anti-tank missiles. In total, more than 2,000 munitions were discovered in three days, Heng Ratana, director general of the Cambodian Mine Clearance Center, told the AFP news agency.

‘VERY LUCKY NOT TO EXPLAIN’

Heng Ratana stated that the ammunition was in the clearing work for the expansion of the garden and that more explosives could be found if the entire school were cleaned. Expressing that it was a great opportunity for the students that the explosives did not explode until today, Heng said, “If someone dug into the ground or accidentally hit it, it could have easily exploded.”

Students were told not to come to school until the cleanup was complete, which is expected to take two days.

Cambodia’s eight-year civil war ended in 1975. However, the country remains reeling from the results. Landmines scattered across the country have killed more than 64,000 people since 1979. According to data from The Halo Trust, some 25,000 people were injured.

The Cambodian government has pledged to clear all mines and unexploded ordnance by 2025.