Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire agreement that was reached on Monday. The agreement was intended to end border clashes that have killed at least 33 people and displaced thousands. The ceasefire has been shaky, with Thailand claiming that they continued to receive gunfire from the Cambodian side after midnight, despite stopping their own firing. Cambodia’s defense ministry denies any armed clashes between the two sides since the ceasefire began.
Tensions between the two countries have been escalating since May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This led to the escalation of tensions into a full-scale conflict last week after five Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion. Thailand closed some border crossings and expelled the Cambodian ambassador. They also recalled their own ambassador from Phnom Penh. Cambodia fired multiple rockets into Thailand, killing several civilians.
More civilians died on both sides and tens of thousands were evacuated to shelters. The intense exchanges of fire between the two armies continued up to midnight on Monday, with Thailand launching more air strikes on Cambodian positions. However, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet claimed that the “frontlines have eased” since midnight. According to the agreement, both sides agreed to pull back their armies and accept independent monitoring to prevent further clashes.
The dispute over the border between Thailand and Cambodia has been ongoing for more than a century. The situation became hostile in 2008 when Cambodia tried to register a 11th-century temple as a Unesco World Heritage Site, which was met with protest from Thailand. There have been sporadic clashes over the years, killing soldiers and civilians on both sides. Tensions escalated in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed, causing bilateral ties to be at their lowest point in more than a decade. Both countries have also imposed border restrictions and strengthened troop presence along the border.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly4l7j3e8zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
