Cambodia to send de-miners to Sudan

Feb 17, 2006 (PHNOM PENH) — Cambodia, one of the world’s most heavily mined countries, is sending 130 soldiers to help clear landmines in war-torn Sudan, defence officials said on Friday.

“It is time for us to help others. We will save some lives in Sudan by clearing mines,” Major-General Sem Sovanny told Reuters from the port of Sihanoukville as he supervised the loading of equipment.

Cambodia, where three decades of civil war ended in 1998, has destroyed an estimated 1.6 million landmines in the past 10 years. But nearly 6 million remain and are responsible for hundreds of deaths and injuries every year.

Its first demining team should arrive in Sudan by the end of this month and the last by mid-April, Sem Sovanny said.

(Reuters)