Cambodia: As of Dec. 8, authorities investigating murder of a Chinese national that occurred in Sihanoukville

Event

Officials are investigating the murder of a Chinese national that occurred in Sihanoukville Dec. 4. Unknown assailants shot and killed the victim at the Blue Sky residential building in the Sangkat 4 area. The motive for the murder remains unclear. Police are continuing to search for the perpetrators.

Context

Cambodia experiences an overall high threat of crime. Foreign nationals are sometimes targeted in armed robberies, but murders of tourists and expatriates are uncommon. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been a series of attacks involving foreigners operating in Sihanoukville. In nearly all the reported incidents, both the victims and the perpetrators are foreign - usually Chinese - nationals. Authorities say that these attacks are usually linked to business or personal disputes.