Local police and officials with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) uncovered 21 unexploded ordnance (UXO) on a farm in Tasou commune in Preah Vihear province’s Chey Sen district on Tuesday, according to a local police official.

The ordnance was left behind from the Kingdom’s civil war.

The discovery was made after a local farmer in Samrong village found one piece of ordnance and reported it to authorities, said Chan Bi, Chey Sen district deputy police chief.

Bi confirmed that an unexploded weapon was found in a field a farmer was ploughing in preparation for the rice-planting season. Fortunately, it did not explode and he immediately reported the find to the authorities.

Local police and officials from CMAC went to inspect the field and found 20 more devices in the same area, Bi said, adding that his officers educated the villagers about the effects and dangers of UXO.

“We told the villagers that if they find something like that again, they need to report it to the police to avoid an explosion, and urged them not to touch the bombs,” he said.

According to a staff member for Cambodia Self Help Demining (CSHD), who asked not to be named, five of the UXO were DK-82 mortar rounds.

“We put the haul in a safe place . . . We will arrange as soon as possible to destroy it,” he added.