Latest news with #CambodianDefense
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's announcement of ceasefire talks
Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire across their disputed border for a fourth day on Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced the two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to ceasefire talks. At least 32 people have been killed and at least 200,000 displaced since Thursday, according to Thai and Cambodian officials, in clashes that have rumbled on despite calls from the United Nations, United States and China for the fighting to stop. Both sides have accused the other of starting the latest border flare-up, and traded blame for the ongoing fighting. But hours after Trump's announcement, Thailand's government on Sunday said it was 'not ready' to stop military operations and accused Cambodia of continuing to fire heavy artillery at civilian areas in its Surin province, on the border, and several other areas. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached' while Cambodia is 'repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law,' Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Thailand hit several locations in Cambodia with drones, tank fire, cluster and aerial bombs early Sunday morning local time, a spokesperson for Cambodia's defense ministry told reporters. Some of the firing landed near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World heritage site in Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province, according to Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata. The temple complex has been at the center of previous clashes between the two nations. Cambodia slammed what it said were Thailand's 'deliberate and premeditated acts of aggression.' Those acts 'have occurred despite ongoing efforts led by President Donald Trump to seek a ceasefire, efforts that have been publicly and clearly supported by Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia,' Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said. 'Our forces are still striking back actively and are not afraid to protect the territory,' Maly Socheata said. The state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) reported that Cambodian forces had fired artillery into the Thai border province of Surin, west of Preah Vihear, damaging residential homes. Thai forces were responding, it reported. Thailand on Sunday said 19 people have been killed since hostilities began, mostly civilians. There are more than 138,000 from six provinces displaced and staying in government shelters, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Cambodia said Saturday that in Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand's Surin, 13 people had been killed, including eight civilians, and 50 wounded. At least 80,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced by the fighting, according to the defense ministry. President Trump said Saturday that he had spoken with both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and acting prime minister of Thailand Phumtham Wechayachai in his efforts to restore peace. 'They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!' Trump wrote on Truth Social in a series of posts on outlining his diplomatic efforts, but offering no details on the negotiations. Trump said he had warned Hun Manet and Phumtham that he would not make trade deals with either country if the deadly border conflict continued. 'They are also looking to get back to the 'Trading Table' with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS,' Trump wrote. Earlier this month, Trump wrote letters to Thailand and Cambodia threatening a 36% tariff on most of their exports to the US, starting August 1. Cambodia and Thailand both delivered substantial offers to their US counterparts in an effort to move to the front of the line for a trade agreement, officials said at the time. In the early hours of Sunday morning local time, Hun Manet thanked Trump and said that Cambodia agreed with 'the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces.' It added that he had previously agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. A statement from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was more measured, saying it wished to see 'sincere intention from the Cambodian side' – but that Phumtham had also 'requested President Trump to convey …that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict.' Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been fighting over territory disputed since colonial power France drew the border between them more than a century ago. The renewed deadly conflict pits longtime US ally Thailand, with decades of experience, against Cambodia's relatively young armed force with close ties to China. The United Nations has condemned the violence, with Secretary General António Guterres urging in a post on X for 'both sides to immediately agree to a ceasefire and to address any issues through dialogue.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's announcement of ceasefire talks
Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire across their disputed border for a fourth day on Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced the two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to ceasefire talks. At least 32 people have been killed and at least 200,000 displaced since Thursday, according to Thai and Cambodian officials, in clashes that have rumbled on despite calls from the United Nations, United States and China for the fighting to stop. Both sides have accused the other of starting the latest border flare-up, and traded blame for the ongoing fighting. But hours after Trump's announcement, Thailand's government on Sunday said it was 'not ready' to stop military operations and accused Cambodia of continuing to fire heavy artillery at civilian areas in its Surin province, on the border, and several other areas. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached' while Cambodia is 'repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law,' Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Thailand hit several locations in Cambodia with drones, tank fire, cluster and aerial bombs early Sunday morning local time, a spokesperson for Cambodia's defense ministry told reporters. Some of the firing landed near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World heritage site in Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province, according to Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata. The temple complex has been at the center of previous clashes between the two nations. Cambodia slammed what it said were Thailand's 'deliberate and premeditated acts of aggression.' Those acts 'have occurred despite ongoing efforts led by President Donald Trump to seek a ceasefire, efforts that have been publicly and clearly supported by Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia,' Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said. 'Our forces are still striking back actively and are not afraid to protect the territory,' Maly Socheata said. The state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) reported that Cambodian forces had fired artillery into the Thai border province of Surin, west of Preah Vihear, damaging residential homes. Thai forces were responding, it reported. Thailand on Sunday said 19 people have been killed since hostilities began, mostly civilians. There are more than 138,000 from six provinces displaced and staying in government shelters, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Cambodia said Saturday that in Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand's Surin, 13 people had been killed, including eight civilians, and 50 wounded. At least 80,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced by the fighting, according to the defense ministry. President Trump said Saturday that he had spoken with both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and acting prime minister of Thailand Phumtham Wechayachai in his efforts to restore peace. 'They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!' Trump wrote on Truth Social in a series of posts on outlining his diplomatic efforts, but offering no details on the negotiations. Trump said he had warned Hun Manet and Phumtham that he would not make trade deals with either country if the deadly border conflict continued. 'They are also looking to get back to the 'Trading Table' with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS,' Trump wrote. Earlier this month, Trump wrote letters to Thailand and Cambodia threatening a 36% tariff on most of their exports to the US, starting August 1. Cambodia and Thailand both delivered substantial offers to their US counterparts in an effort to move to the front of the line for a trade agreement, officials said at the time. In the early hours of Sunday morning local time, Hun Manet thanked Trump and said that Cambodia agreed with 'the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces.' It added that he had previously agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. A statement from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was more measured, saying it wished to see 'sincere intention from the Cambodian side' – but that Phumtham had also 'requested President Trump to convey …that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict.' Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been fighting over territory disputed since colonial power France drew the border between them more than a century ago. The renewed deadly conflict pits longtime US ally Thailand, with decades of experience, against Cambodia's relatively young armed force with close ties to China. The United Nations has condemned the violence, with Secretary General António Guterres urging in a post on X for 'both sides to immediately agree to a ceasefire and to address any issues through dialogue.'
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Thai fighter jets drop bombs on Cambodian military targets as border dispute escalates
Asia National securityFacebookTweetLink Follow Thai fighter jets dropped bombs on Cambodian military targets along their disputed border on Thursday, as armed clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors killed at least eight civilians, in a dramatic escalation of tensions that threatens to erupt into a broader conflict. The violence comes a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion, an incident that cratered relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh to their lowest level in years. Thailand has since closed all border crossings with Cambodia. Thailand's 2nd regional military command in the northeast said in a post on Facebook that F-16 fighter jets had been deployed. It also claimed to have 'destroyed' two Cambodian regional military support units. Thailand's deputy Army spokesperson Col. Richa Suksuwanont said the strikes were aimed only at military targets. Cambodia's Defense Ministry confirmed that a Thai F-16 fighter jet had dropped two bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. It condemned what it called 'brutal, barbaric, and violent military aggression' and accused Thailand of violating international law. 'Cambodia reserves the right to lawful self-defense and will respond decisively to Thailand's violent aggression,' the statement said, adding that the armed forces are 'fully prepared to defend the kingdom's sovereignty and its people – whatever the cost.' Armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces had broken out at six locations along the disputed border earlier on Thursday, according to military officials, causing civilian casualties and prompting the evacuation of residents in Thailand. At least eight people were killed in the clashes with Cambodia Thursday, Thai police said. Thailand also accused Cambodian troops of firing two BM-21 rockets into a civilian area in Kap Choeng district of in Surin province, in Thailand's northeast, injuring three civilians. Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cambodian attacks on civilian areas continued throughout Thursday, including at a hospital in Surin. 'These acts have resulted in further loss of life and injuries among the Thai people,' a ministry official said in a press conference. Residents of Surin could be seen running for cover and taking shelter in bunkers amid the sound of gunfire, in video from Thai PBS. Two hospitals in the province near the site of the clash evacuated patients, according to Thailand's ministry of public health. The clashes came after five Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion on Wednesday, with the incident prompting Thailand to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Cambodia – recalling its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelling the Cambodian ambassador. Thailand and Cambodia have had a complicated relationship of both cooperation and rivalry in recent decades. The two countries share a 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border – largely mapped by the French when they controlled Cambodia as a colony - that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions. The recent flare-up began early in the morning when Thailand's military said Cambodian troops fired at a Thai army base in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple – which lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand's Surin province and in Cambodia's northwest. It said Cambodia had deployed an unmanned drone in front of the temple before sending troops in with weapons. Clashes then erupted along the entire border region with small arms and heavy weapons used, according to Thailand's military. Cambodia has disputed that account. A Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson said their troops had acted in self-defense after an unprovoked incursion from Thai soldiers. 'Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,' Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said. Cambodia's Defense Ministry accused Thailand of deploying drones, and said Thai forces initiated an armed assault on Cambodian troops stationed at the temple. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a post on Facebook that Thailand also attacked Cambodian army positions at two temple sites in its Oddar Meanchey province, as well as in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province. 'Cambodia has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems, but in this case, we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression,' said the prime minister. Hun Manet called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm. The armed clash comes a day after a second Thai soldier in a week lost his leg to a landmine explosion at a different point along the border. Tensions between the two neighbors had already soured in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in which both sides opened fire in a contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. The dispute has since had major political consequences for Thailand and stoked nationalist fervor in both countries. Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from duties earlier this month and could face dismissal after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia's powerful former leader Hun Sen, in which she appeared to criticize her own army's actions in the dispute. In 2011, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed in an area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, displacing thousands of people on both sides and killing at least 20 people. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Thailand deploys fighter jets against Cambodian military targets in escalation of border dispute
Update: Date: less than 1 min ago Title: Armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces broke out along the disputed border earlier on Thursday Content: Armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces broke out along the disputed border earlier on Thursday, according to military officials, wounding civilians and prompting the evacuation of residents in Thailand. They began early morning when Thailand's military said Cambodian troops fired at a Thai army base in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple – which lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand's Surin province and in Cambodia's northwest. It said Cambodia had deployed an unmanned drone in front of the temple before sending troops in with weapons. It also accused Cambodian troops of firing heavy weapons into a civilian area in the nearby Kap Choeng district, in Surin province. 'The attack injured three civilians. Thai authorities have promptly evacuated residents from the area to ensure the safety of lives and property,' the military said in a statement. A Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson said their troops had acted in self-defense after an unprovoked incursion from Thai soldiers. 'Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,' Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a post on Facebook that Thailand attacked Cambodian army positions at two temple sites in its Oddar Meanchey province, as well as in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province and Thailand's Ubon Ratchathani province. 'Cambodia has always maintained a position of peaceful resolution of problems, but in this case, we have no choice but to respond with armed force against armed aggression,' said the Prime Minister. Hun Manet also called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm. At least two Thai soldiers were injured on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing a Thai army official. Two hospitals in Thailand's Surin province near the site of the clash have begun evacuating patients, according to Thailand's ministry of public health. Update: Date: 3 min ago Title: Thailand launches fighter jets as clashes erupt with Cambodia over disputed border Content: Thailand has deployed fighter jets against Cambodian military targets along their disputed border, in a dramatic escalation of tensions that threatens to erupt into a broader conflict. The attack comes a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion, an incident that saw relations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors collapse to their lowest level in years. Thailand's 2nd regional military command in the northeast said on Facebook that F-16 fighter jets had been deployed. It also claimed to have 'destroyed' two Cambodian regional military headquarters. Thailand's Deputy Army spokesperson Col. Richa Suksuwanont said the airstrikes were aimed only at military targets. There was no immediate confirmation from the Cambodian side. Armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces had broken out along the disputed border earlier on Thursday, according to military officials, wounding civilians and prompting the evacuation of residents in Thailand.
CNN
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Shots fired, landmine explosions as relations break down between Thailand and Cambodia
FacebookTweetLink Shots were fired as Thai and Cambodian forces clashed on Thursday in a disputed area of their border, according to military officials, a day after a Thai soldier lost his leg in a landmine explosion. The latest incidents have inflamed tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, with a long-running border dispute now threatening to escalate into a broader conflict, and relations collapsing to their lowest level in years. On Thursday, Thailand's military accused Cambodian troops of firing at a Thai army base in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom Temple – which lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand's Surin province and in Cambodia's northwest. It said Cambodia had deployed an unmanned drone in front of the temple before sending troops in with weapons. 'Six armed Cambodian soldiers, including those carrying RPGs, were seen approaching the barbed wire area in front of the Thai operational base,' the military said in the statement. A Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson said their troops had acted in self-defense after an unprovoked incursion from Thai soldiers. 'Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,' Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said. Thailand's Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Natthaphon Narkphanit told reporters Thursday that operations were 'currently ongoing,' citing preliminary reports from the border. At least two Thai soldiers were injured on Thursday, Reuters reported, citing a Thai army official. Two hospitals in Thailand's Surin province near the site of the clash have begun evacuating patients, according to Thailand's ministry of public health. The armed clash comes a day after a second Thai solider in a week lost his leg to a landmine explosion at a different point along the disputed border. Five Thai soldiers were injured in the explosion, with the incident prompting Thailand to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Cambodia – recalling its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelling the Cambodian ambassador. Thailand also closed parts of its northeastern border to locals and tourists. In response, Cambodia announced it has downgraded relations with Thailand 'to the lowest level' and ordered all diplomatic staff to return home. Tensions between the two neighbors had already soured in May, when a Cambodian solider was killed during a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops in which both sides opened fire in a contested border area of the Emerald Triangle, where Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet. The dispute has since had major political consequences for Thailand and stoked nationalist fervour in both countries. Thailand's former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from duties earlier this month and could face dismissal after the leak of a phone call she had with Cambodia's powerful former leader in which she appeared to criticize her own army's actions in the dispute. This is a developing story and will be updated.
