Khaberni - Armed clashes renewed on Friday along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, despite ongoing talks between the two sides to contain the escalation that began in early December, in violation of the ceasefire that was reached 5 months ago.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense stated that the Thai forces bombed a village in the Banteay Meanchey province in the northwest of the country with about 40 bombs dropped by F-16 fighters, pointing to the destruction of houses and infrastructure, with no reports of injuries.
On the other hand, the Thai army confirmed the attack, explaining that the joint operation between the ground and air forces "came to protect Sakaeo Province," a border area, over which the two countries have been disputing sovereignty for years.
The ongoing border dispute, stretching over 817 kilometers, dates back to historical disagreements, and turned into open confrontations in July, resulting in the deaths of 32 people from both sides.
In October, the two countries signed a peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian mediation and support from U.S. President Donald Trump, after both parties agreed to a fragile ceasefire following 5 days of fighting.
Today, technical talks between military delegations from the two countries continued for the third day within the framework of the General Border Committee at a checkpoint between the Cambodian province of Pailin and the Thai province of Chanthaburi, set to conclude tomorrow Saturday with a meeting between the defense ministers to formalize a new agreement.
Each side describes its current military movements as self-defense, and blames the other side for violating the ceasefire.
Media reports indicated the ongoing displacement of civilians from border areas as the fighting escalates and the political resolution stalls, forcing thousands of families to leave their villages in search of safety.
