Gunman kills Cambodian candidate

Cambodia is holding its first ever local polls next year

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- A gunman has shot dead a Cambodian opposition candidate in the latest violence to mar the run-up to the country's first ever local polls next year.

Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Meng Rita said an activist was shot late Thursday night in northern Siem Reap province, while another man monitoring poll registration had gone missing.

"This is another case of killing and intimidation of opposition activists," he said. "The gunman killed him while he was in bed."

A party statement said Toch Veun, 54, was shot twice in the chest and later died in a provincial hospital.

The provincial police chief in Siem Reap, Noun Bophal, said an investigation into the killing had been launched.

"I received a report that he was killed last night, but I don't know what party he belongs to," he told Reuters by telephone. He said the motive for the killing was unknown.

Political violence

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Another activist, Duch Vorn, 42, had been missing since August 12, while monitoring the registration process in the eastern province of Kompong Cham, Meng Rita said.

Police officers in Kompong Cham could not be contacted on Friday.

Earlier this month the United Nations said it was seriously concerned about the upsurge in political violence and intimidation ahead of the local elections, scheduled for February.

The opposition says at least three of its activists have been killed so far.

There are roughly 1,600 communes, or clusters of villages, in Cambodia. All are dominated by officials from Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People Party.