Battambang pagoda’s pond held deadly UXO cache

Five unexploded ordnance (UXO) and 80 bullets were dug out from the drained pond of a Battambang pagoda yesterday.

Authorities in Sangke district’s Anlong Vil commune spotted the devices on Wednesday, and deminers from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre yesterday dug through the emptied pond to find two anti-tank mines, a 60mm mortar, two DK-82 mortars and 80 MP5K bullets.

“Those ordnance were made in China. They are the legacy of the [Vietnamese occupation] after 1979,” said Try Panharith, provincial director of CMAC.

“Though they were buried in the ground for a long time and the quality is wearing off, they can still explode,” he warned.

The O’mony pagoda pond was drained last year after residents were concerned it might contain UXO.