Thai and Cambodian troops have engaged in conflict at a disputed segment of their shared border on Thursday morning, with each side claiming the other initiated the violence by firing the first shot. According to the Thai military, Cambodian soldiers began firing near the Ta Muen Thom temple, a point of contention in recent weeks. Conversely, Cambodia’s defense ministry contends that its forces were acting in self-defense in response to initial shots fired by Thai troops. The Thai military also reports that Cambodia deployed a surveillance drone before sending heavily armed soldiers into the area and that at least two Thai soldiers were injured.
A spokesperson from Cambodia’s defense ministry, Maly Socheata, declared that their forces exercised “their right to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity against the aggression of the Thai troops.” She accused Thailand of violating Cambodia’s territorial integrity, with former leader Hun Sen on Facebook stating that parts of two Cambodian provinces had been shelled by the Thai military. He urged the public not to panic and acknowledged that while Cambodia prefers to solve issues peacefully, they had no choice but to respond with armed force to the armed aggression. Prime Minister Hun Manet also expressed this sentiment online.
Thailand’s acting premier, Phumtham Wechayachai, characterized the dispute as delicate, emphasizing that it must be handled with care and in accordance with international law. The situation escalated with the recall of Thailand’s ambassador to Cambodia following a landmine explosion that injured a Thai soldier along the border the previous day. In response, Bangkok announced it would expel Cambodia’s ambassador. Bilateral relations are at their lowest point in over a decade after armed clashes in May resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier. Over the past two months, both sides have implemented reciprocal restrictions and increased military presence along the border.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80p8z0y0eko
