Thai-Cambodia Border Explodes: Ancient Shiva Temples At Heart Of Renewed 118-Year Dispute Leading To Airstrikes | World News
New Delhi: The tensions between Thailand and Cambodia once again turned into deadly violence, because long -term disputes on a historical border region flared up armed clashes on Thursday. The conflict caused by an 118 -year disagreement, including the ancient Shiva temples, broke out near the controversial border near the Tem of the Thom Thom.
The Thai Army confirmed that it started air strikes at two Cambodian military bases and that there was a significant rise in hostility. Cambodia and Thailand accused the other of the violence, while the diplomatic ties between the neighbors dived to their lowest points over the years.
Fresh violence near the ancient temples
The Cambodian government source told the AFP to the news agency that the struggle continued near the two temples at the border between Thailand’s Surin province and Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey. According to AAP’s reports, the Thai army took responsibility for air strikes in Cambodian positions in response to what it called provocation.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense did not strongly condemn Thailand’s actions. “The Thai Army violated the regional integrity of the Cambodian Kingdom by launching an armed attack on the Cambodian forces deployed to defend the dominant territory of the country.” He said.
“On the other hand, the Cambodian Armed Forces used legitimate self -defense rights in accordance with international law in order to prevent the Thai attack and to protect the sovereignty and regional integrity of Cambodia.”
Thailand accused Cambodian forces with “attacks on civilians ve and claimed that two UN-21 rockets were wounded in the Kap Choeng region of Surin.
CIVIL LOSS AND EVENT WARNINGS
The Thai army also reported nine civilians in three provinces, including a 8 -year -old child, and 14 people were injured in cross -border attacks.
In response to the security situation, the Thai Embassy in Cambodia called the Thai citizens to leave the country immediately unless necessary. In an article on Facebook, the embassy citizens should come out of Cambodia as soon as possible ”.
Diplomatic bonds broke
Just a few hours before the clashes of Thursday, Cambodia reduced diplomatic relations to Thailand to the lowest level, threw Thai diplomats, and reminded them all from Bangkok, except one on their own. Thailand took similar steps the day before, expelled Cambodia’s ambassador, and remembered his own ambassador to protest a wounded land mine ‘s wounded land.
The Thai government claimed that the land mines have just been planted by Cambodia in the controversial area – rejected a accusation of Cambodia.
How did the conflicts begin
According to the Thai army, the incident began around 7:35, where the Thai troops, which were deployed near the Ta of Ta of Ta in Surin, heard a Cambodian drone load. Minutes later, six Cambodia soldiers carrying a rocket -guided hand grenade approached the thorny wire fences near the Thai position. The Thai soldiers shouted warnings, but it was claimed that the Cambodian forces were only 200 meters away from the Thai base until 8:20 am.
Thailand’s acting prime minister Phumtham Vechayachai called for restriction, but defended the country’s actions. “The situation needs to be handled carefully and we must act in accordance with international law,” he said. “We will do our best to protect our sovereignty.”
The root of the dispute: a century tension
While Cambodia and Thailand were under the French administration of Cambodia between 1863-1953, a map based on a bilateral agreement to follow the natural Watershed, a map drawn in 1907, based on the 11th Centasy Preah Vihear temple, a map placed in Lord Shivear-Rorithin, a map of 817 kilometers. Thailand then objected.
In 1959, Cambodia brought the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which decided that the Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia in 1962. Thai accepted the decision at that time, but argued that the surrounding area remained controversial.
In 2008, when Cambodia successfully sought the UNESCO World Heritage status for the Preah Vihear Temple of Cambodia, tensions re -emerged. Armed conflicts soon followed and in 2011, more than 36,000 people resulted in a heavy struggle. Cambodia returned to ICJ, who confirmed his previous decision in 2013. However, Thailand continued to object to the regional interpretation of this decision.
Today’s renewed violence emphasizes how unresolved tensions surrounding these cultural and strategically important temples continue to increase the deadly conflict for a century after the scratching the original maps.
