Fighting continues at Thai-Cambodian border despite Trump's appeal
Bangkok
Despite US President Donald Trump's calls for a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, fighting continued on Sunday morning in the border region between the two countries.
The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok quoted a military spokesman as saying that Cambodia had opened fire in the morning and hit civilian homes.
According to the Thai newspaper Khaosod, the attack took place in the Phanom Dong Rak district in the north-eastern border province of Surin.
Cambodia, however, accused Thailand of opening fire early in the morning.
The Cambodian newspaper Phnom Penh Post cited a spokeswoman for the Defence Ministry saying 'Thai forces resumed shelling' in the border area in the early hours of Sunday.
'In all combat zones... Thai forces have used artillery, drones and aircraft to launch heavy shells, bombs and cluster munitions on Cambodian soil,' spokeswoman Mali Socheata was quoted as saying in a Sunday press briefing.
According to the Cambodian ministry, two well-known Hindu temples have also been targeted.
Since Thursday, the South-East Asian neighbouring states have accused each other of triggering an escalation in a border conflict that has been simmering for decades.
After phone calls with the two countries' leaders on Saturday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that they 'have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE.' In a separate post, Trump said that 'we happen to be, by coincidence, currently dealing on Trade with both Countries, but do not want to make any Deal, with either Country, if they are fighting - And I have told them so.' Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a statement that his country had agreed to Trump's proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. He thanked the US president for his initiative and mediation.
Thailand's interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said his government agreed 'in principle' with a ceasefire. However, he said the Cambodian side must first show serious intentions to make peace.
The central issue of the conflict between the neighbours is the location of the border, which was drawn in colonial times and is interpreted differently by the two countries.
According to government figures, more than 130,000 people have fled Thailand, while the Cambodian Defence Ministry put the number of displaced people in Cambodia at 80,000. More than 500 schools in the border area are closed due to the fighting.
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