The Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC) plans to clear all explosive remnants of war (ERW) on 125 sq km next year to advance the decades long clean-up effort closer to its scheduled completion in 2025.

The demining centre held a board meeting on December 1 to review their progress in the past ten months and make plans for 2022. They said that one of the goals they will try to accomplish in 2022 is to clear 125 square kilometers of ERW, but it did not specify where the target locations will be.

“This plan supports the government’s humanitarian activities and development and follows the national plan and commitments by the international community for achieving the Ottawa Treaty by the end of 2025,” said CMAC director Heng Ratana.

CMAC indicated that during the first ten months of this year the organisation and its parners cleared 83,446,352 square meters, equal to 88 per cent of their goal for the month and reaching 73.44 per cent of their goal for the year.

Ratana said he was proud of CMAC officials for fulfilling their duties and achieving such good results despite the challenges posed by Covid-19.

Separately, a tractor driver was seriously injured when his tractor drove over an anti-tank mine while he was plowing farmland in Oddar Meanchey province on December 2.

The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority said on December 3 that the incident happened in Trapaing Bei village of Tomnup Dach commune in Trapaing Prasat district. They said the victim has been transferred to Anglong Veng district referral hospital for treatment.