PHNOM PENH - Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the US marines on Monday began another humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise to boost the two countries ' military relations, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Phnom Penh.

The joint exercise was made just days after a similar one was ended last Friday between Cambodia's military police and US ?marines from the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

The press release said that the joint exercise will be held in the vicinities of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville and last until December 18.

It added that US marines and sailors from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 5 aboard the USS Pearl Harbor and USS New Orleans will exchange experiences with Cambodian forces pertaining to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response, as a means to enhance professional cooperation and coordination between the two forces. ?

Components of the exchanges include an engineering civic action project, medical and mass casualty response drills, platoon maneuvers, and a community relation-building blood drive campaign.

"This exercise serves as another example of how US and Cambodian forces can work together, increase each other's cultural understanding, enhance capabilities, and improve coordination, while providing services to areas and individuals in need," said Jeff Daigle, charg d'affaires of the US Embassy to Cambodia.

Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises have strengthened the relationship between the US and Cambodian armed forces, while also improving the ability of Asia-Pacific nations to work together effectively to provide relief and assistance in the event of natural disasters and crises, added the press release.