Cambodia to purchase armored personnel carriers for UN missions.

According to the Borneo Bulletin website, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has approved the purchase of armored personnel carriers that will be used by Cambodian troops which are deployed for UN peacekeeping missions.

Soldiers of the Cambodian army leave Bamako and head towards Gao, in northern Mali, where they will be deployed.(Picture source: UN website media library )

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said "Cambodia needs to contribute to peacekeeping operations, but Cambodian soldiers must use an armored vehicle to be protected and for their self-defense. Indeed, in November 2018, four Cambodian peacekeepers working for the UN were injured in a car bomb attack which killed two people in northern Mali.

In May 2018, Cambodia sent 428 peacekeepers, including 24 females, to join United Nations peacekeeping missions in the African nations of Mali and South Sudan. Since 2006, Cambodia has sent a total of 5,257 troops, including 236 females, to Sudan, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Chad, Syria, Lebanon, and Mali under the UN framework.

In today’s conflicts, IEDs play an increasingly important role and will continue to be part of the operating environment for future UN peacekeeping operations. UN troops must remain prepared to counter IEDs in any UN land or maritime operation involving asymmetrical threats, in which force protection will remain a paramount priority. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) pose a significant threat to communities across the globe, and especially for UN troop who are currently deployed all over the world. To increase the protection of troops against IEDs threats, new combat vehicle must be protected to offer a high level of protection against mine blast. Current UN missions require armored vehicles that are designed to offer a high level of protection against ballistic and IED's threats.