Fatal clash on Thai-Cambodia border after Trump-brokered peace deal breaks down | Cambodia
As the conflict between the two countries escalated days after the ceasefire agreement supported by Trump was broken, one person died as a result of fire opened on the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers over five days in July left 43 dead and 300,000 in the worst fighting along the border in a decade. Donald Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the two countries in Malaysia this October, after the US president had previously threatened to withhold trade privileges from the two countries if they did not stop fighting.
But according to Thai officials, the newly signed ceasefire has been on shaky ground since a Thai soldier patrolling the border lost a leg in a mine explosion. Thailand blamed Cambodia for the explosion, claimed that the mines were newly laid, and announced that it was suspending the terms of the agreement.
Two days later, officials from both sides reported gunfire on the border between Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province and Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province.
Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet said three civilians were injured and one was killed in Prey Chan in northwestern Cambodia.
“This action is contrary to the humanitarian spirit and recent agreements to peacefully resolve border issues,” the statement said.
Hul Malis, a Cambodian living in the area, told news agencies that at least three people were injured in his area as a result of fire opened from across the border. “They shot at us. We did nothing,” he said. “I was so scared, I’m running away now.”
Her husband, Thong Kimleang, said Thai soldiers “opened numerous fires” for about 15 minutes.
Thai army spokesman Winthai Suvaree said Bangkok blamed Cambodian soldiers who “opened fire on Thai territory”.
The border dispute goes back centuries, arising from maps drawn when Cambodia was under French colonial rule, which Thailand says are inaccurate. Both sides claim temples scattered along the border.
The ceasefire agreement did not resolve the basis of the conflict or long-standing differences over where the border should pass. But Trump cited this as evidence of his presidential peacemaking abilities.
On Tuesday, Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited front-line troops at the border and told reporters: “Today, we think that the agreement we made to bring peace has now come to an end.”
Foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura later announced that Thailand had paused implementation of the agreement, but had not officially withdrawn from the agreement.
Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report
