A third team of Cambodian de-miners will head to Sudan to serve a year-long stint with the UN humanitarian mission in the war-torn African nation, Minister of Defense Tea Banh announced May 30.

The team of 124 de-mining soldiers will depart June 8, Banh said.

"This is the third time that Cambodia has sent soldiers to serve on this UN humanitarian mission,” he added.

The second team of 135 Cambodian de-miners will return to the Kingdom on June 10 after a successful year-long tour in Sudan. The first batch of 139 de-miners left in April 2006.

“Ten years ago Cambodia demanded UN assistance to help us clear landmines and enable development in this country, now we send our own Cambodian de-miners to serve as part of the UN's humanitarian mission in Sudan," Banh said. (Khouth Sophak Chakrya)