Thailand again accuses Cambodia of planting land mines as 3 soldiers are hurt by blast along border
BANGKOK — Three Thai soldiers on patrol were wounded Saturday when one stepped on a land mine in territory along the border with Cambodia, Thailand's army announced.
The incident came just two days after the two countries reaffirmed their adherence to a ceasefire to end a brief armed conflict.
The army's statement said the incident took place in Thailand's Sisaket province and 'clearly demonstrates to both domestic and international society that the use of concealed weapons in border areas continues to exist, constituting a clear violation of the Ottawa Convention by the Cambodian side.'
The Ottawa Convention, also called the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, is an international agreement banning the weapons' use, and both Thailand and Cambodia have committed to it.
A statement from Thailand's foreign ministry said the incident confirmed the Thai army's findings 'that new land mines are being laid in blatant violation of international law.' It also noted this was the third such incident in less than a month.
Five days of armed conflict broke out last month, killing dozens of people on both sides, including civilians, and displacing more than 260,000. The fighting broke out a day after five Thai soldiers were wounded when one tripped an antipersonnel mine in disputed territory.
A ceasefire that took effect on July 29 ended major fighting, though tension remained high. The two countries on Thursday at a meeting in Malaysia committed to a 13-point agreement on implementing their truce.
The Thai army statement, citing its spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree, charged that Saturday's mine explosion constituted 'a significant obstacle to the implementation of ceasefire measures and peaceful resolution of problems.'
A statement issued in response by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority denied Thailand's allegation that Cambodia had laid new mines.
'We have not, and will not, plant new land mines,' said the statement, noting that Cambodia is a party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty Convention, 'and has an internationally recognized record of removing, not deploying, these indiscriminate weapons.'
It noted that Cambodia has cleared more than one million mines and nearly three million other pieces of unexploded ordnance left over from more than three decades of war and civil unrest that began in 1970. Cambodia had suggested that two earlier explosions last month wounding Thai soldiers might be land mines from past conflicts.
Tensions had simmered since May this year when a Cambodian soldier was shot dead by Thai troops in a brief fracas in another contested border area. The escalating dispute was marked by border crossing restrictions and cross-border boycotts and bans of goods and services before fighting broke out.
In Saturday's incident, a Thai sergeant major suffered severe injuries, including losing his left foot, said the Thai army statement, while two privates suffered lesser injuries.
The Associated Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
4 hours ago
- Toronto Star
US Rep. Barry Moore, an Alabama Republican, launches bid for the Senate
FILE - Rep. Barry Moore, left, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas during a House Judiciary Committee Field Hearing, Monday, April 17, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, file) JM flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Toronto Sun
4 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Dana White says UFC fight at the White House is part of Paramount deal
Published Aug 12, 2025 • 4 minute read President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 with Dana White at Madison Square Garden. AP Photo Hours after Paramount and UFC announced a billion-dollar rights deal, Dana White said he had yet to hear from his friend, President Donald Trump, on his thoughts about the fight company's new streaming home. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account That was fine with White. The UFC CEO was set to travel to Washington on Aug. 28 to meet with Trump and his daughter, Ivanka, to catch up and discuss logistics on the proposed Fourth of July fight card next year at the White House. Trump said last month he wanted to stage a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards of 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence. 'It's absolutely going to happen,' White told The Associated Press. 'Think about that, the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the UFC will be on the White House south lawn live on CBS.' The idea of cage fights at the White House would have seemed improbable when the Frittata brothers purchased UFC for $2 million in 2001 and put White in charge of the fledging fight promotion. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. White helped steer the company into a $4 billion sale in 2016 and broadcast rights deals with Fox and ESPN before landing owner TKO Group's richest one yet — a seven-year deal with Paramount starting in 2026 worth an average of $1.1 billion a year, with all cards on its streaming platform Paramount+ and select numbered events also set to simulcast on CBS. ESPN, Amazon and Netflix and other traditional sports broadcast players seemed more in play for UFC rights — White had previously hinted fights could air across different platforms — but Paramount was a serious contender from the start of the negotiating window. The Paramount and UFC deal came just days after Skydance and Paramount officially closed their $8 billion merger — kicking off the reign of a new entertainment giant after a contentious endeavor to get the transaction over the finish line. White said he was impressed with the vision Skydance CEO David Ellison had for the the global MMA leader early in contract talks and how those plans should blossom now that Ellison is chairman and CEO of Paramount. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'When you talk about Paramount, you talk about David Ellison, they're brilliant businessmen, very aggressive, risk takers,' White said. 'They're right up my alley. These are the kind of guys that I like to be in business with.' The $1.1 billion deals marks a notable jump from the roughly $550 million that ESPN paid each year for UFC coverage today. But UFC's new home on Paramount will simplify offerings for fans — with all content set to be available on Paramount+ (which currently costs between $7.99 and $12.99 a month), rather than various pay-per-view fees. Paramount also said it intends to explore UFC rights outside the U.S. 'as they become available in the future.' UFC matchmakers were set to meet this week to shape what White said would be a loaded debut Paramount card. The UFC boss noted it was still too early to discuss a potential main event for the White House fight night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This is a 1-of-1 event,' White said. There are still some moving parts to UFC broadcasts and other television programming it has its hands in as the company moves into the Paramount era. White said there are still moving parts to the deal and that includes potentially finding new homes for 'The Ultimate Fighter,' 'Road To UFC,' and 'Dana White's Contender Series.' It's not necessarily a given the traditional 10 p.m. start time for what were the pay-per-view events would stand, especially on nights cards will also air on CBS. 'We haven't figured that out yet but we will,' White said. And what about the sometimes-contentious issue of fighter pay? Some established fighters have clauses in their contracts that they earn more money the higher the buyrate on their cards. Again, most of those issues are to-be-determined as UFC and Paramount settle in to the new deal — with $1.1 billion headed the fight company's way. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It will affect fighter pay, big time,' White said. 'From deal-to-deal, fighter pay has grown, too. Every time we win, everybody wins.' Boxer Jake Paul wrote on social media the dying PPV model _ which was overpriced for fights as UFC saw a decline in buys because of missing star power in many main events — should give the fighters an increased idea of their worth. 'Every fighter in the UFC now has a clear picture of what the revenue is…no more PPV excuses,' Paul wrote. 'Get your worth boys and girls.' White also scoffed at the idea that the traditional PPV model is dead. There are still UFC cards on pay-per-view the rest of the year through the end of the ESPN contract and White and Saudi Arabia have teamed to launch a new boxing venture that starts next year and could use a PPV home. White, though, is part of the promotional team for the Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford fight in September in Las Vegas that airs on Netflix. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's definitely not run it's course,' White said. 'There were guys out there who were interested in pay-per-view and there were guys out there that weren't. Wherever we ended up, that's what we're going to roll with.' White said UFC archival footage 'kills it' in repeat views and those classic bouts also needed a new home once the ESPN deal expires. Just when it seems there's little left for UFC to conquer, White says, there's always more. Why stop at becoming the biggest fight game in the world? Why not rewrite the pecking order in popularity and riches and go for No. 1 in all sports? 'You have the NFL, the NBA, the UFC, and soccer globally,' White said. 'We're coming. We're coming for all of them.' Columnists Columnists World Weird Opinion
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Jordan, Syria, and U.S. officials discuss Syria's reconstruction after deadly clashes
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, centre right, meets with U.S. Ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, centre left, in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Delara Shakib) AMMAN, Jordan — Officials from Jordan, Syria and the U.S. on Tuesday discussed ways of supporting war-torn Syria's reconstruction on the basis of improving security after deadly clashes last month. The meeting in Amman between the foreign ministers of Jordan and Syria and U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack came after talks were held by the same sides on July 18. Those discussions focused on a ceasefire that ended days of clashes between pro-government gunmen and fighters from the country's Druze minority in Sweida province that borders Jordan, leaving hundreds of people dead. In addition to the security challenges that Syria still faces since the fall of Bashar Assad's government in December, the country faces major economic and social challenges. In 2017, the United Nations estimated that it would cost at least US$250 billion to rebuild Syria after years of civil war. Some experts now say that number could reach at least $400 billion. Over the past few months, several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others pledged investments worth billions of dollars to rebuild Syria's infrastructure. In neighboring Iraq, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir discussed with Iraqi counterpart Hayan abdel-Ghani the possibility of reactivating an oil pipeline between the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk and Syria's coastal town of Baniyas, which is home to one of the country's two oil refineries. Syrian state news agency SANA quoted al-Bashir as saying that Syria imports 3 million barrels of oil a month in addition to its own production to cover local consumption. Abdel-Ghani said that the two countries can study whether it is possible to reactivate the oil pipeline that suffered wide damage during wars in both countries or build a new one, according to SANA. Before the war broke out in 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria's economy, with the country producing about 380,000 barrels a day, and exports — mostly to Europe — bringing in more than $3 billion in 2010. Since then, the sector has suffered widely. The Associated Press
