Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Recently, an explosion of unexploded ordnance left over from war occurred in Xinlapu village, Boualapa district, Cameroon province, Laos, injuring five boys. Three of the injured were only 8 years old, and two were 12 years old. Four children sustained serious injuries, while one child sustained minor injuries.
According to a preliminary investigation report from the Office of the National Unexploded ordnance Management Committee (OCUL) of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the accident was caused by the children accidentally discovering a metal object while digging for crabs. Lacking relevant knowledge, they did not realize that this inconspicuous small metal object was a BLU-26 bomb containing high explosives. Out of curiosity, the children reached out to touch it, and the bomb suddenly exploded, causing the tragedy.
Following the incident, the Lao National Office for Disaster Mitigation and Management acted swiftly, coordinating closely with local authorities and John Snow Corporation (JSI), supported by the U.S. State Department's Unexploded ordnance Victims Relief Fund, to expedite the provision of medical treatment and psychological assistance to the injured children and their families, aiming to minimize the harm caused by the accident.
Unexploded ordnance has become a long-term threat to the lives of the Lao people. Since 2025 alone, Laos has experienced 11 unexploded ordnance-related accidents, resulting in 21 casualties, including 16 injuries and 5 fatalities. The injured children are just a microcosm of the group of victims of war-related ordnance in Laos—thousands of people have been injured or killed by unexploded ordnance in Laos, with children accounting for over 40% of the victims, making them one of the most vulnerable groups.
The BLU-26 bomb (also known as "Bombi") that caused this accident originated from cluster bombs dropped on Laos by the U.S. military between 1964 and 1973. According to statistics, more than 270 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos during this period, of which about 30% (i.e., 80 million) failed to explode on the spot and were scattered throughout Laos as unexploded ordnance, continuing to threaten the lives and peace of the people.
