Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday that 29 rockets exploded near his residence Sunday night in an accident that he blamed on human error. The premier said he was playing chess at home when the explosions started at 7:30 p.m. and his bodyguards advised him to move to a safer place within the compound of his residence, located south of Phnom Penh .
The rocket blasts panicked many villagers living nearby and made many wonder what was actually happening there. Hundreds of police blockaded the surrounding area, restricting the flow of traffic. Hun Sen said the blasts happened after one of his military men used a cigarette lighter to get a better look at spilled gasoline from a truck loaded with rocket launchers and ammunition that was bound for a border area disputed with Thailand .
Two military personnel were injured by the blasts, he said. Also Tuesday, Hun Sen said that during talks last week at his residence with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, he insisted Thai troops withdraw from the disputed area and warned that Thai military aircraft overflying Cambodian territory might be targeted by ground-to-air missiles.
KyodoJune 30, 2009
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