US and Cambodia hold talks ahead of return of Angkor Sentinel military exercise

Phnom Penh, June 27, 2026 (KPT) – Senior military leaders from the United States and Cambodia have met in Phnom Penh to prepare for the revival of the Angkor Sentinel joint military exercise, scheduled for 2027 — the first since 2016.

Delegations from the U.S. Army Pacific, the Idaho Army National Guard, the Royal Cambodian Army and Cambodia’s National Center for Peacekeeping, Mines and Explosive Remnants of War (NPMEC) attended the Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027 Concept Development Conference.

Meetings were held both in the capital and at the Peacekeeping Operations Training Center.

The talks focused on defining the scope and objectives of the exercise, which marks the resumption of military cooperation between the two countries after more than a decade.

According to the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh, the exercise aims to strengthen bilateral military ties while enhancing peacekeeping capabilities, disaster response and regional preparedness.

The embassy added that the renewed cooperation reflects a shared commitment to promoting peace, stability and security across the Indo-Pacific region.