Phnom Penh [Cambodia], July 27 (ANI): Cambodia and Thailand exchanged artillery fire and sharp accusations on Sunday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that both nations had agreed to begin ceasefire talks, Al Jazeera reported.
The renewed hostilities came despite assurances from both sides that they were prepared to negotiate an end to the deadly border dispute following Trump’s late Saturday phone calls with their leaders. The four-day conflict—described as the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors in over a decade—has claimed more than 30 lives, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia. Authorities in both countries reported that over 200,000 residents have been evacuated from the border region.
Cambodia voiced full support for President Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire. Thailand, however, expressed gratitude for the intervention but stated that talks could not begin while Cambodian forces were allegedly targeting Thai civilians—a claim Phnom Penh denied.
“We have proposed a bilateral meeting between our foreign ministers to outline the conditions for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and long-range weapons,” said acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai before visiting border areas.
Despite these overtures, artillery exchanges resumed early Sunday. Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense accused Thailand of shelling and launching ground assaults at several locations along the border, including strikes near historic temple complexes. Meanwhile, the Thai army reported Cambodian rocket and artillery fire in multiple areas, including near civilian homes, and claimed Cambodian forces were mobilizing long-range rocket launchers.
The two countries have long disputed sections of their 817-kilometer (508-mile) shared land border, particularly the ownership of ancient Hindu temples like Ta Moan Thom and the 11th-century Preah Vihear. The International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions reignited in 2008 when Cambodia sought UNESCO World Heritage status for the site. The ensuing skirmishes over the years have resulted in at least a dozen deaths.
Sunday’s escalation underscores the fragile nature of ceasefire efforts and the deep-rooted historical tensions that continue to strain Cambodia-Thailand relations. (ANI)
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