Cambodia’s Defense Ministry oannounced that the massive explosion at a military base, which resulted in the deaths of 20 soldiers and injuries to others, was caused by a "technical problem" during the transport of old ammunition.
The army stated that they believe Saturday's explosion occurred due to mishandling of the ammunition by the forces.
The defense ministry's statement followed allegations by exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy in a post on his Facebook page that a group of armed government dissidents caused the explosion, but he provided no evidence to support his claim.
The ministry mentioned that despite recent posts on social media by "a group of extremists," the ministry wanted to inform the media that the investigation concluded the explosion was merely an accident.
They warned that anyone spreading false information about the explosion could face prosecution.
Army spokesperson Mao Phalla, stated that the soldiers were transporting the ammunition to a storage facility when the explosion occurred, resulting in the immediate death of 20 individuals.
He added that 11 other individuals, including soldiers and civilians, sustained minor injuries due to building debris, not shrapnel.
The explosion, which occurred in Kampong Speu province, also destroyed military vehicles and four buildings at the base, causing damage to homes in the village.
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