Thai and Cambodian troopers clashed in a number of areas alongside their border Thursday in a significant escalation of their battle that left at the very least 11 individuals lifeless, largely civilians. The 2 sides fired small arms, artillery and rockets, and Thailand additionally referred to as in airstrikes.
Thai villagers could possibly be seen on video fleeing their houses to hunt shelter because the clashes started within the morning.
Combating was ongoing in at the very least six areas alongside the border, Thai Protection Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri stated. The set off for the clashes was a mine explosion alongside the border on Wednesday that wounded 5 Thai troopers and led Bangkok to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled Cambodia’s.
Thailand has additionally sealed all land border crossings whereas urging its residents to depart Cambodia.
The Southeast Asian neighbors have longstanding border disputes that periodically flare alongside their 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier and often lead to transient confrontations that generally includes exchanges of gunfire.
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However relations have deteriorated sharply since a confrontation in Might that killed a Cambodian soldier, and Thursday’s clashes had been far greater in scale and depth than common.
Both sides accuses the opposite of beginning the clashes
The primary conflict Thursday morning occurred in an space close to the traditional Ta Muen Thom temple alongside the border of Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.
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A video from the Thai aspect confirmed individuals working from their houses and hiding in a concrete bunker as explosions sounded.
The Thai military stated its forces heard a drone earlier than seeing six armed Cambodian troopers transferring nearer to Thai army positions on the border. It stated Thai troopers tried to shout at them to defuse the state of affairs, however the Cambodian aspect began to open hearth.
Cambodia’s Protection Ministry, nevertheless, stated Thailand deployed a drone first earlier than opening hearth, and that Cambodia “acted strictly throughout the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity.”
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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote to the present president of the U.N. Safety Council asking for an pressing assembly “to cease Thailand’s aggression.”
The Thai military stated it later launched airstrikes on army targets in Cambodia, whereas the Cambodian Protection Ministry stated the Thai jets dropped bombs on a street close to the traditional Preah Vihear temple, which has been the positioning of a few of the most distinguished and violent previous conflicts between the nations.
Thailand’s Overseas Ministry accused Cambodia of attacking each army and non-military websites in Thailand, together with a hospital.
“The Royal Thai Authorities is ready to accentuate our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed assault and violations upon Thailand’s sovereignty in accordance with worldwide legislation and ideas,” stated Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry’s spokesperson.
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Performing Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated 11 individuals have died, together with 10 civilians and one soldier. In the meantime 28 have been injured, 4 of whom had been troopers and the remainder civilians.
Cambodia launched no particulars on deaths or accidents on its aspect.
Relations deteriorated even earlier than the clashes
On Wednesday, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian ambassador to protest the mine blast that wounded its troopers.
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Thai authorities alleged the mines had been newly laid alongside paths that either side had agreed had been purported to be protected. They stated the mines had been Russian-made and never of a sort employed by Thailand’s army.
Cambodia rejected Thailand’s account as “baseless accusations,” mentioning that many unexploded mines and different ordnance are a legacy of twentieth century wars and unrest.
Cambodia additionally downgraded diplomatic relations, recalling all Cambodian employees on Thursday from its embassy in Bangkok.
The border dispute in Might that resulted within the dying of a Cambodian soldier has had political fallout in Thailand. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra got here beneath hearth for for being too fawning in a telephone name along with her Cambodian counterpart when she tried to defuse the state of affairs. She has since been suspended from workplace pending an investigation into attainable ethics violations over the matter.
—Related Press author Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contributed to this report.
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