A few months following the ceasefire agreement facilitated by US President Donald Trump between Thailand and Cambodia, tensions have once again escalated along their disputed border. The Cambodian defence ministry reported that the civilian death toll has increased to six after Thai forces targeted Cambodian positions overnight into Tuesday.
Both nations have blamed each other for instigating the recent outbreak of violence, which has undermined the ceasefire that had halted five days of confrontations in July.
Escalation of Thailand-Cambodia hostilities
On Tuesday, Thailand announced that it had taken steps to remove Cambodian troops from what it claims as its territory, as hostilities between the two nations intensified. The Cambodian Defence Ministry indicated that two additional civilians were killed overnight, bringing the total to six. Importantly, one Thai soldier has also lost his life.
The Thai Navy reported on Tuesday morning that its forces had discovered Cambodian troops within Thai territory in Trat province and had initiated military actions to expel them.
In the meantime, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated on Monday night that Thailand “must refrain from using military force to assault civilian villages under the guise of reclaiming its sovereignty.”
Cambodia previously asserted that it had not retaliated even while its forces were under persistent attack.
The Thai Navy claimed that Cambodian troops were reinforcing their numbers, deploying snipers and heavy weaponry, enhancing their fortifications, and excavating trenches. These actions were interpreted as “a direct and serious threat to Thailand’s sovereignty.”
The clashes on Monday were the most severe since the five-day exchange of rockets and artillery in July, which resulted in at least 48 fatalities and forced 300,000 individuals to evacuate their homes before Trump intervened to broker a ceasefire.
What is the cause of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?
Thailand and Cambodia have been in dispute for over a century regarding control of various regions along their 817 km land border. Controversies related to ancient temples have frequently incited strong national sentiments and have occasionally resulted in armed confrontations, including a lethal week of shelling in 2.
