Cambodia to destroy 200 missiles

Cambodia to destroy 200 missiles

CAMBODIA: Cambodia plans to destroy more than 200 Soviet-era surface-to-air missiles to ensure that the weapons do not fall into the hands of international terrorists, officials said on Tuesday.

Cambodia is a major source of illegal weapons, and has been known to supply arms to rebel groups across Asia, including the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and militants in Indonesia's Aceh province.

"Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has decided to destroy all 233 antiaircraft weapons in military warehouses," said co-defense minister Tea Banh.

"The government's main goal is to help the world in fighting terrorism because we are worried that these weapons may fall into the hands of terrorists," he told AFP.

Tea Banh said Cambodia had 233 A-72 missiles which were imported from the former USSR during the 1980s.

"They are very old, but whether they are old or new, we have to destroy them," he said. -- AFP