A farmer was killed yesterday after driving his tractor over an anti-tank mine left over from the Kingdom’s civil war in Battambang’s Sampovloun district.

Sao Veth, 28, was ploughing a cassava plantation in Tasdar commune when he hit the UXO about 9am.

The detonation broke his right leg and critically injured his arm, head and chest, according to Ly Rum, Sampovloun’s deputy district police chief.

“Veth was badly injured all over his body and was taken to the district hospital, but died on the way due to his wounds,” Rum said.

“The tractor was blown into parts. It was anti-tank land mine that was buried during the war. More than 10 years he ploughed and planted cassava without incident and then this happens and kills him.”

The explosion also injured another farmer, Sun Sen, 27, who was looking for cassava near the tractor. Sen was admitted to the district hospital for treatment.

Not at work, the hospital’s deputy director, Meas Maysak, was unable to comment on Sen’s condition.