Phnom Penh (FN), July 5 – Ministry of Defense’s spokesman, Chhum Socheat, rejected accusations that Prime Minister Hun Sen's troops intended to overthrow Norodom Ranariddh, and that it was a crackdown on the infiltration of Khmer Rouge troops in Phnom Penh and modern weapons.

The rejection came on the 20th anniversary of the bloody event, which happened July 5-6, 1997.

This marked the beginning of civil war between PM Hun Sen's troops and the first Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh's troops.

FUNCINPEC’s senior officials have demanded justice for the royalist party’s senior officials and armed forces killed during July 5-6, 1997.

"July 5-6 was not a coup, but was instead a movement to obstruct anarchists and extremists for the sake of peace and development," said the spokesman.

"If there was no Hun Sen's loyal army, Cambodia would not have peace and development like today," he added.

Citizens were happy that the war in 1997 did not last long, otherwise the people of Phnom Penh and the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime would have had to endure more pain and suffering.
=FRESH NEWS