A Battambang villager discovered 187 mortar shells on Friday, while a 500lb (227kg) US-made MK 82 bomb was safely removed by the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) after being unearthed in Sihanoukville’s Commune 1 on Thursday.

Provincial deputy police chief Bou Sothy told The Post that the MK 82 bomb was found near Kbal Chhay freshwater basin in Preah Sihanouk province. The unguided bomb would have been dropped from an aircraft during the conflict in the 1970s.

“In general, 70 per cent of explosive remnants of war can still kill. The bomb was dropped by a US aircraft during the civil war between 1970 and 1975. In Cambodia, nearly all provinces still have bombs which were dropped from aircraft,” he said

In Battambang city, a villager also found 187 mortar shells in a stream on Friday.

Battambang city police chief Pang Hieng told The Post that at least 187 mortar shells – 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm – were transferred to Battambang city police station awaiting CMAC officials to destroy them.

“Battambang provincial CMAC officials told us to keep the shells for now. They will not explode because they are only empty shells,” he said.