On Saturday afternoon, Hun Manet, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, announced that a military base in the west of Cambodia experienced an explosion of ammunition, resulting in the deaths of 20 soldiers and injuries to several others.
According to reports from the Associated Press, photos from the scene show a destroyed building still emitting smoke, with some soldiers being treated in hospitals.
Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his shock upon hearing the news of the explosion at the Kampong Speu province base on Facebook.
The cause of the explosion is currently unknown, and Hun Manet has not disclosed any information on Facebook regarding it.
He offered condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers and assured that the government would cover the funeral expenses for the fallen soldiers and provide compensation to the injured and deceased soldiers.
In a statement, the Prime Minister mentioned that he had instructed the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces to urgently arrange funerals for the fallen soldiers.
Hun Manet graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Shortly before being chosen to succeed his father, Hun Sen, as Prime Minister, he was promoted to the rank of a four-star general.