Renewed fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its fourth day, as deaths rise on both sides, with both countries accusing one another of violating international law as they await a promised phone call from United States President Donald Trump.
Three Thai civilians were killed as heavy combat continued along the country’s border, the Thai military said on Thursday, marking the country’s first civilian fatalities since the fighting resumed. Eight Thai soldiers have also been killed in the fighting so far this week, with 80 more wounded, it said.
Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior has said, as of Wednesday, the death toll on the Cambodian side of the border stands at 10 civilians, including one infant, while 60 people have been injured.
Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence accused the Thai military of carrying out numerous attacks within the country in the early hours of Thursday morning, including deploying tanks and artillery to strike targets in Pursat, Banteay Meanchey, and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
In one such attack, the Cambodian ministry said, Thai soldiers violated international humanitarian law by firing on civilians in Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey.
In another, it accused Thai forces of shelling “into Khnar Temple area”, and said Thai forces “fired artillery and support fire into the O’Smach area”.
“Cambodia urges that Thailand immediately stop all hostile activities and withdraw its forces from Cambodia’s territorial integrity, and avoid acts of aggression that threaten peace and stability in the region,” the Defence Ministry said.
Clashes took place on Wednesday at more than a dozen locations along the contested colonial-era demarcated 817km (508-mile) Thai-Cambodian border, with some of the most intense fighting being reported since a five-day battle in July, which saw dozens killed on both sides.
Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior said homes, schools, roads, Buddhist pagodas and ancient temples had been damaged by “Thailand’s intensified shelling and F-16 air strikes targeting villages and civilian population centres up to 30km [18.6 miles] inside Cambodian territory”.
“It should be noted that … these brutal acts of aggression of the Thai military indiscriminately opened fire targeting civilian areas, especially schools, and further destroyed Ta Krabey and Preah Vihear temples, the highly sacred cultural sites of Cambodia and the world cultural heritage,” it said.
Responding to the accusations, the Thai army said Cambodia had “intentionally” used a historical site as a “military base of operations” and therefore was guilty of violating international law.
“Cambodia intentionally used the ancient site for military operations, as a base to attack Thailand, and deliberately undermined the protection of the ancient site. Thailand retaliated as necessary,” the Thai army said.
Aljazeera
