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Al Jazeera
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
What we know about clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border
At least 11 people have been killed in deadly clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border between both countries' troops and involving heavy weapons, rockets and fighter jets on Thursday. The outbreak of fighting between the South Asian neighbours follows weeks of tensions which have been brewing since May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in an armed confrontation on the border. In February, a dispute over Prasat Ta Moan Thon, a Khmer temple close to the border in Thailand, intensified when Thai police stopped Cambodian tourists from singing their national anthem at the contested site. Shelling damaged hospitals and other civilian locations in Thailand during Thursday's fighting, resulting in deaths and injuries, according to statements from the government. Thailand said it had retaliated with air attacks, but it is not yet clear if there have been casualties in Cambodia. Each side blames the other for launching the first attack, as they have cut diplomatic relations with each other. Thailand said it had closed all border crossings with Cambodia. Here's what we know about the clashes so far: What has happened and where? Armed fighting broke out on Thursday morning near the disputed, ancient Prasat Ta Moan Thom Temple in Surin province, Thailand, very close to the border with Cambodia, where tensions have been running high in recent weeks. It's unclear yet who fired the first shot, with each side blaming the other. The Thai military accused Cambodian soldiers of 'provocation'. Cambodian troops deployed a surveillance drone at 7:35am (00:35 GMT) before soldiers with rocket launchers approached a Thai military post, according to the Thai military. Thereafter, Cambodian forces opened fire towards the eastern side of the temple, 200 metres (650ft) from the Thai military base, and also targeted a local community with rockets, the Thai military said. Deputy army spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters that air attacks were launched in response, including six F-16 fighter jets which attacked sites over the border in Cambodia and reportedly destroyed two military targets. However, Cambodian defence officials denied that their troops fired first and said the country only responded after Thai troops launched an 'armed assault on Cambodian forces'. Spokeswoman Maly Socheata accused Thailand of violating Cambodia's territorial integrity and said Cambodian troops 'exercised their right to defend their sovereignty' after Thai fighter jets dropped two bombs on a road. How many casualties have there been? At least 11 people have been killed in Thailand – mostly civilians – the Ministry of Public Health said. An eight-year-old child was among the dead. Six people were killed and 10 were wounded in one strike when a Cambodian rocket hit a busy gas station in Sisaket province, the Thai army said in a statement. Three other deaths were recorded in Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. It is still unknown if there have been any casualties in Cambodia. Why has fighting broken out? Thai-Cambodia relations are at their worst in more than a decade. The 818km (508-mile) border between the two countries has long been a source of tension and rivalry, as they both dispute demarcations drawn in 1907, during French colonial rule in Cambodia. There have been skirmishes before, but this is the first time fighter jets have been involved, marking a significant escalation. The border areas are replete with centuries-old historical temples, some of which are claimed by both sides. Although the establishment of a demilitarised zone has been discussed in the past, there are no formal zones in place now. Troops from both sides clashed in 2011 near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, killing 15-20 people and causing the displacement of thousands. Cambodia first took the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1963. In 2011, Cambodia again went to the ICJ in relation to the Preah Vihear Temple. The ICJ ruled in Cambodia's favour and handed it control of the immediate area around the temple in 2013. However, the court did not address any of the other disputed areas, especially those within the 'Emerald Triangle', a shared border region between Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, where troops also frequently clash. Thailand has refused to acknowledge the ICJ's jurisdiction in this issue. Tensions have simmered until this year's escalation. 'The whole situation has been spiralling downwards for weeks, with Cambodia laying landmines that injured Thai soldiers, and Bangkok's expulsion of the Cambodian ambassador was apparently the last straw,' Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates Consultancy, told Al Jazeera. 'So now the question is really how long will both sides continue fighting, and how many civilians will get killed in the indiscriminate crossfire that is already apparent,' he added. How have tensions escalated between Thailand and Cambodia this year? On February 13, Cambodian soldiers escorted 25 civilians to the Prasat Ta Moan Thon Temple, where they reportedly sang the Cambodian national anthem. Thai military officials said they stopped the tourists from singing, on the basis that it violated mutual agreements about tourist protocols. On February 17, the Thai army sent a warning letter to the Cambodian military, accusing it of 'inappropriate behaviour' and instructing it not to repeat the incident of February 13. In a statement, the Thai Ministry of National Defence said the temple was officially in Thai territory and that while Cambodian citizens could visit, singing the country's national anthem 'raises concerns'. On May 28, both sides clashed in the disputed border area of the Emerald Triangle, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead. The tri-border area connects Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. Again, each side blamed the other for starting the violence. On June 12, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced that Cambodia would stop relying on Thai electricity and internet infrastructure due to 'threats'. Cambodian TV stations stopped broadcasting Thai movies, and Cambodia also blocked imports of fuel and gas, as well as fruit and vegetables, from Thailand. On June 14, officials from both countries met in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for talks. However, no concrete agreement for peace was reached. Both countries instead boosted border security and tightened checks at crossings. On June 15, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is the country's youngest premier at 38, held a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen and discussed the tensions. Hun Sen is the father of the current prime minister, Hun Manet. On June 26, Thailand ordered operators to stop providing broadband and mobile internet connections to Cambodia. On July 1, Shinawatra was suspended after her phone call with Hun Sen was leaked to the public. In it, Shinawatra appeared to criticise the Thai military's actions, signalling discord between the government and the army. Pro-military protesters have since called for her resignation. On July 16, a Thai soldier lost a leg in a landmine explosion while on patrol in First was in the Chong Bok area of Nam Zuen district, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, escalating tensions. On July 23, a second blast injured five Thai soldiers near Chong An Ma point, in Ubon Ratchathani province, causing a second soldier to lose a leg. Thailand immediately recalled its ambassador to Cambodia and shut border checkpoints at Chong An Ma, Chong Sa-ngam, Chong Chom and Chong Sai Takoo. Ta Moan Thom and Ta Kwai temples were also closed. On July 24, violence erupted between the two sides, involving heavy weapons and air attacks. Cambodia also recalled its diplomatic staff in Thailand. What does each side say about the conflict? Thailand's acting premier, Phumtham Wechayachai, said in a statement on Thursday that the dispute was 'delicate' and must be resolved according to international law. Suspended Prime Minister Shinawatra – who is also the culture minister – condemned Cambodia, in a news briefing, for opening fire and accused the country of allowing the situation to escalate beyond diplomatic levels. 'We have always respected international protocols, but now Cambodia has forced our hand. We may have to take actions we have tried to avoid in the past,' she said. For his part, Cambodia's prime minister, Hun Manet, has urged an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to stop 'Thailand's aggression'. Manet said Thai forces launched 'unprovoked, premeditated and deliberate attacks' on the Cambodian border, violating international law. 'Facing this flagrant aggression, Cambodian troops had no option but to respond in self-defence in order to safeguard Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' Manet wrote in a letter to UNSC President Asin Iftikhar Ahmad. 'It is profoundly reprehensible that this act of aggression occurs while Cambodia is actively pursuing peaceful and impartial legal avenues to resolve outstanding border issues with Thailand through both bilateral and international mechanisms,' he added. Both countries have closed borders and announced evacuations of their citizens from the border zones. The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh urged citizens to leave Cambodia. What reactions have there been from other nations and international bodies? The United States and China issued warnings to their citizens to be vigilant in the border areas. The US embassy in Thailand urged Americans to heed advice from Thai authorities, who commenced evacuation from the worst-hit areas on Thursday. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that China is 'deeply concerned' about escalating tensions between its neighbours, and stressed the importance of 'maintaining friendly relations' with 'long-term interests on both sides'. China will 'continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and dialogue to help ease tensions', the spokesperson said. Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia and current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he would engage both sides in negotiations. 'I have sent messages to both prime ministers and look forward to speaking with them later today or tonight,' he told reporters. 'The least we can expect is for them to stand down and hopefully try to enter into negotiation,' Ibrahim said, calling the situation 'worrying' and describing Thailand and Cambodia as key ASEAN members. Will this situation escalate further? Robertson of AHRLA said the situation would likely 'get worse before it gets better'. Bad blood between Cambodian PM Hun Sen and former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, respectively the fathers of both countries' current leaders, could add to the political will to continue fighting, Robertson said. Although Thaksin and Hun Sen were longtime allies, Robertson said Hun Sen's leaking of the recording of the damaging phone call between him and Thaksin's daughter, suspended PM Shinawatra, means 'the gloves are now off between the two sides. 'Right now, neither side wants to be seen as conceding any ground to the other, so the fighting is likely to continue for some time, primarily in the form of firing across the border with artillery and firefights across the border in disputed areas,' he said. Robertson added: 'We're not going to see either side invade the other, but the damage will be lasting and it's hard to see how this will be mediated towards peace, at least in the short-to-medium term.'
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan army chief calls visits to US, Gulf, Central Asia ‘successful diplomatic maneuver'
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, on Thursday described his recent visits to the United States, Gulf nations and Central Asia as a 'successful diplomatic maneuver,' in a rare public statement by the military on the country's high-level foreign policy engagements. Munir made the remarks during a closed-door briefing to senior commanders at the 271st Corps Commanders' Conference, held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to a statement issued by the military's media wing. In May and June, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by senior ministers and Munir, visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkiye, Iran, and Azerbaijan as part of Islamabad's broader diplomatic outreach in the wake of its four-day confrontation with India in May and as tensions escalated in the Middle East. Last month, Munir was also hosted to a unprecedented two-hour-long lunch by US President Donald Trump at the White House, with no civilian leaders present. The two leaders discussed regional conflicts including India-Pakistan and Iran-Israel tensions, as well as economic development, trade, cryptocurrency, critical minerals and IT. 'The COAS shared details of Pakistan's proactive and successful diplomatic maneuver, including recent visits to Iran, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, KSA and UAE, where the COAS accompanied the honorable prime minister,' the army's media wing said in a statement. 'Forum was also briefed on the historic and unique visit of the COAS to US, where meetings with top-tier leadership, afforded an opportunity to share firsthand, Pakistan's objective perspective on bilateral, regional and extra-regional developments.' According to the ISPR, the commanders' forum also conducted a 'holistic review' of internal and external security dynamics, with particular focus on developments in the Middle East and Iran. It said the growing global trend toward the use of force as a preferred policy tool highlighted the need for 'persistent development of self-reliant capabilities, national unity and resolve.' Pakistan has long accused India of supporting militant groups that carry out attacks inside its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, an allegation New Delhi denies. The military's statement said Indian intelligence agencies were continuing to back anti-Pakistan proxies. 'Forum strongly asserted that it is imperative to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian-backed and sponsored proxies,' the ISPR said. Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country directly for nearly half of its history and retains significant influence over foreign and security policy, even under civilian governments. In recent weeks, top officials have increasingly described the current governance model as a 'hybrid system' in which the military and civilian leaders co-share power.
Sky News
16-05-2025
- Sky News
Ben Roberts-Smith: Australia's most decorated living war veteran loses defamation appeal over Afghanistan killings
Australia's most decorated living war veteran has lost his appeal against a court's ruling that he unlawfully killed four people while on duty in Afghanistan. The allegations against Ben Roberts-Smith were printed by three newspapers in 2018 - and in 2023, a judge concluded he had not been defamed. Mr Roberts-Smith appealed against this decision at the Federal Court in Sydney, but a panel of three judges unanimously rejected his request. He has never faced criminal charges, which must be proven to the higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt. The former Special Air Service Regiment corporal, who was awarded the Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry, says he will "immediately" seek a High Court challenge. He was portrayed as someone who "broke the moral and legal rules of military engagement" while serving in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012. The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times had alleged he played a part in the unlawful killings of several Afghans. Soldiers who said they were there accused him of fatally shooting an unarmed Afghan teenage spotter, and kicking a handcuffed man off a cliff before ordering him to be shot dead. The papers also reported the 46-year-old had pressured a low-ranking soldier to execute an elderly, unarmed Afghan to "blood the rookie". And in another case, it was alleged that he had murdered an Afghan man with a prosthetic leg. The judge in the initial case concluded he was "callous and inhumane" enough to take that leg back home, where soldiers were encouraged to use it as a drinking vessel. Mr Roberts-Smith was not in court for the decision on Friday, and he has now been ordered to pay costs. He says he continues to deny the "egregious spiteful allegations" against him, adding: "I have only ever asked for a fair and just hearing - that has not occurred." Nick McKenzie, the journalist who made the allegations in his articles, said the war veteran must be held accountable before the criminal justice system. He paid tribute to the soldiers who spoke out, as well as the "Afghan children and women who have lost their fathers and husbands". "It should not be left to journalists and brave soldiers to stand up to a war criminal. Australian authorities must hold Ben Roberts-Smith accountable before our criminal justice system," he said.
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Why Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia
When he approved a campaign to reopen shipping in the Red Sea by bombing the Houthi militant group into submission, President Trump wanted to see results within 30 days of the initial strikes two months ago. By Day 31, Mr. Trump, ever leery of drawn-out military entanglements in the Middle East, demanded a progress report, according to administration officials. But the results were not there. The United States had not even established air superiority over the Houthis. Instead, what was emerging after 30 days of a stepped-up campaign against the Yemeni group was another expensive but inconclusive American military engagement in the region. The Houthis shot down several American MQ-9 Reaper drones and continued to fire at naval ships in the Red Sea, including an American aircraft carrier. And the U.S. strikes burned through weapons and munitions at a rate of about $1 billion in the first month alone. It did not help that two $67 million F/A-18 Super Hornets from America's flagship aircraft carrier tasked with conducting strikes against the Houthis accidentally tumbled off the carrier into the sea. By then, Mr. Trump had had enough. Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, who was already in Omani-mediated nuclear talks with Iran, reported that Omani officials had suggested what could be a perfect offramp for Mr. Trump on the separate issue of the Houthis, according to American and Arab officials. The United States would halt the bombing campaign and the militia would no longer target American ships in the Red Sea, but without any agreement to stop disrupting shipping that the group deemed helpful to Israel. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
