Explosion in Cambodia that killed 20 at an army base was likely caused by mishandling of ammunition

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A senior military official in Cambodia says the huge explosion over the weekend that killed 20 soldiers at an army base in the country’s southwest appears to have been an accident caused by mishandling of ammunition by troops. The Saturday afternoon blast in Kampong Speu province also destroyed military vehicles and four buildings at the base and damaged homes in a nearby village. An army spokesperson said on Tuesday that the soldiers were transferring ammunition from trucks into a storage facility when the blast occurred, killing them instantly. He said another 11 people, soldiers and nearby villagers, were slightly wounded.