The United States will grant $675,000 for crucial demining programs in Cambodia, the U.S. Embassy said Monday, after a freeze on foreign assistance raised doubts about the future support for mine clearance in the Southeast Asian nation.
An estimated 4 million to 6 million land mines and other unexploded munitions littered Cambodia’s countryside during decades of conflict that began in 1970 and ended in 1998. Since the end of the fighting, nearly 20,000 people have been killed and about 45,000 injured by leftover war explosives, even though Cambodia has a worldwide reputation for an effective demining program.
