PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Wednesday that the Thai military used fighter jets to drop cluster bombs in Banteay Meanchey province. The Thai army responded that the cluster bombs deployed are exclusively targeted at military objectives.
The Thai military also used fighter jets to drop four bombs into civilian areas in Battambang province, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said in a press release.
The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority on Tuesday expressed its grave concern regarding reports of Thailand's use of cluster munitions and toxic gas in or near civilian areas.
Winthai Suvaree, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, said on Wednesday that what Cambodia claimed to be cluster bombs were used against military targets, and these shells are not weapons designed to harm civilians.
Winthai emphasized that the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits parties from using, producing, or stockpiling such weapons, is not binding because neither Thailand nor Cambodia is a party to the convention. ■
