‘BM-21 godfather’ Hing Bun Hieng pays heavy price as Thai strikes, BHQ officers fall at Preah Vihear
Thai F-16 strikes reportedly hit BM-21 rocket depot linked to ‘godfather’ Hing Bun Hieng as elite BHQ officers are killed in fierce Preah Vihear clashes
On December 9, 2025, the battlefield around Preah Vihear turned into what Cambodian media called a nightmare day for General Hing Bun Hieng– the powerful commander of Cambodia’s elite Bodyguard Headquarters (BHQ) and long-time ally of former prime minister Hun Sen – after Thai air and artillery strikes reportedly hit key rocket stockpiles and killed several of his senior officers.
F-16 strike on BM-21 rocket depot
At bloody Phnom Dong Rak, General Hing, widely dubbed the “BM-21 godfather” for his role in deploying the Soviet-designed multiple rocket launchers, had been directing operations after quietly preparing for renewed fighting for four months.
Although BM-21 rockets are notoriously inaccurate, their saturation fire is used to terrorise and suppress enemy positions. The Cambodian Army, under BHQ responsibility, has continued to rely on their destructive power despite the risks to civilians.
Around midday on December 9, Thai Air Force F-16s launched an air operation, dropping precision-guided munitions on a BM-21 rocket depot and heavy-weapons storage site in Samraong city, Oddar Meanchey province – the headquarters of the regional command responsible for fighting around Ta Muen Thom, Ta Kwai and Khana sanctuaries.
Cambodian pro-government channels later acknowledged significant damage to the facility.
Four BHQ officers killed in first clashes
The previous day, December 8, 2025, Fresh News reported that four BHQ officers had been killed in clashes near Choam Ksa Ant district, Preah Vihear province. The officers were named as:
- Lt Gen Jin Jone
- Maj Gen Youn Seung
- Maj Cham Rithy
- Maj Heng Komsan
Their deaths underscored the high stakes for BHQ, the Hun family’s most trusted unit.
Hun Sen orders Hing Bun Hieng to the front
Tension had been building for weeks. In a Facebook post on December 9, former prime minister Hun Sen said Cambodia had exercised restraint for more than 24 hours to respect the ceasefire and allow civilians to evacuate to safe areas.
“Now we must fight to defend ourselves again. Cambodia wants peace, but is forced to respond to protect our territory,” Hun Sen wrote.
Before the first shots were fired at Phlan Hin Paet Kon, Hun Many, Hun Sen’s youngest son, visited General Hing Bun Hieng , BHQ commander, and General Sray Deuk, commander of the 3rd Support Division, to prepare for a new round of fighting.
Hun Sen then ordered Hing to “dig in” along the Preah Vihear border shortly after the July ceasefire, reinforcing positions and quietly preparing for renewed hostilities.
When tensions spiked, Prime Minister Hun Manet instructed Hing to bring BHQ troops and heavy weapons forward to Preah Vihear. On May 29, 2025, BHQ units left their headquarters in Kandal province; Hing travelled in a Lexus LM at the head of his convoy.
BHQ soldiers, groomed by Hun Sen as an elite, modern force, stand in stark contrast to former “village soldiers” from ex-Khmer Rouge areas. While deployed on the front line, BHQ troops were quartered at the 3rd Support Division headquarters in Preah Vihear – General Sray Deuk’s command.
Thai strikes hit BHQ gathering point
On December 9, 2025, the pro-army Facebook page Army Military Force posted images of the ruined 9th Support Battalion headquarters, under the 3rd Support Division, reportedly hit by Thai artillery.
The building was described as a key assembly point for BHQ units. Posts on Telegram claimed that a number of Cambodian soldiers were inside when the strikes hit, though casualty details have not been independently verified.
Hing Bun Hieng: Hun family’s “secret weapon”
General Hing Bun Hieng has been a battlefield companion of Hun Sen since the Khmer Rouge era. Since 2001, he has been known as a “hitman” tasked with crushing opposition movements.
Hun Sen created the BHQ – a personal guard unit to protect his family and regime – and entrusted Hing with command, calling on him as his most trusted general.
In recent years BHQ has been upgraded to a light division, controlling BM-21 multiple rocket launchers trained by the Chinese military.
On the evening of December 8, the Facebook page Army Media posted a graphic of Hing Bun Hieng alongside BM-21 launchers with the caption:
“Blood for blood… BM-21 is preparing to eliminate the invading bandits.”
Pro-Hun media frequently depict him posing with BM-21 launchers, reinforcing his image as the “BM-21 godfather”, the general whose rockets symbolise the Hun family’s readiness to use overwhelming firepower in the fight along the Thai–Cambodian border.
