Four Royal Cambodian Armed Forces soldiers were killed and 31 injured in two separate traffic accidents in Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces on Sunday, according to provincial police and civil officials.

“Two soldiers died and 30 were injured in a traffic accident in [Oddar Meanchey],” Pich Sokhin, Oddar Meanchey governor, said yesterday, adding that two of the 30 were severely injured.

“They were on a truck coming back from getting aid from a government official, but their truck collapsed when the driver tried to turn away from another vehicle Sunday night,” Pich Sokin said.

“They were sent to  Siem Reap province for treatment.”

Nhil Vuth, deputy police chief of Oddar Meanchey province, said yesterday that the truck lost control and drove off of a main road on Sunday night in Trapaing Prasat district.

On the same day another traffic accident occurred in Preah Vihear province.

Two RCAF soldiers were killed and another was critically injured on Sunday in Preah Vihear province’s Choam Ksan district.

Ban Yin, district police chief in Choam Ksan, said the soldiers were riding on a motorbike when they were struck by a truck carrying construction materials.  

He identified the two dead soldiers as So Hoeun, 31, and Kim On, 20. The injured soldier was identified as Mean Meng, 24.

All three were from Brigade 7’s Battalion 372, said Ban Yin.

“The accident was caused by the truck because it was driving without its lights on,” he said yesterday.

“It is regrettable that our soldiers were killed and injured. It was an unintentional mistake, but we will do an investigation,” he said.

Srey Doek, commander of RCAF Military Division 3 forces stationed at the Cambodian-Thailand border, said yesterday that he had not received a report about the accidents and was busy with maintaining border security.