Washington, DC [US], July 28 (ANI): The United States on Monday welcomed the ceasefire declaration between Cambodia and Thailand, announced during high-level talks in Kuala Lumpur.
The ceasefire was brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who mediated the discussions between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai at his official residence near the Malaysian capital, CNN reported.
In a post on X, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote, “The United States applauds the ceasefire declaration between Cambodia and Thailand announced today in Kuala Lumpur. @POTUS and I remain committed to ending this conflict.”
Rubio further stated that the Trump administration expects both governments “to fully honor their commitments to end this conflict,” and confirmed that U.S. State Department officials were present in Malaysia to assist with the negotiations.
Under the agreement, Cambodia and Thailand have committed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” beginning at midnight local time (1 p.m. ET Monday). The truce follows days of intense clashes along their disputed border that have left at least 35 people dead and more than 200 injured, according to official figures from both countries.
Both sides have blamed each other for sparking the latest outbreak of violence. Despite the ceasefire announcement, hostilities continued into Monday morning. Cambodian authorities accused Thai forces of launching strikes at two locations during the early hours, while the Thai military reported ongoing clashes in three provinces.
At a joint news conference, leaders from both countries pledged that fighting would cease immediately. However, reports suggested that skirmishes persisted in the lead-up to the midnight deadline. “I still hear the sound of the shooting… It’s not yet ended yet. Let’s wait and see until midnight,” said Moun Nara, the head of an evacuation shelter on the Cambodian side.
Both the United States and China played roles in the ceasefire negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the Southeast Asian nations had agreed to hold talks, though localized fighting continued throughout the weekend. Trump warned the Thai and Cambodian leaders that the U.S. would halt trade deals with either country if the border conflict continued.
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