A fragile truce between Thailand and Cambodia collapsed as clashes entered a fourth day, with both governments accusing the other of breaching international law while waiting for a promised intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, Al Jazeera reported.
Cambodian officials accused Thai troops of opening fire on civilians in Prey Chan village in Banteay Meanchey province. Phnom Penh also alleged that Thai forces shelled the Khnar Temple area and fired artillery and support rounds into the O’Smach area, according to the report.
Fighting erupted at more than a dozen sites along the contested, colonial-era demarcated border that stretches roughly 817 kilometres (508 miles). The renewed exchanges were among the fiercest since a five-day battle in July that left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Cambodia’s Ministry of the Interior said homes, schools, roads, Buddhist pagodas and ancient temples had been damaged by what it described as “intensified shelling and F-16 air strikes” striking villages and population centers up to 30 kilometres (about 18.6 miles) inside Cambodian territory. The Defence Ministry urged Thailand to halt hostile actions immediately, withdraw forces from Cambodian soil and avoid acts that could further destabilize the region.
This week’s violence was the deadliest flare-up since July, when fighting displaced roughly 300,000 people on both sides before a tentative truce was brokered after U.S. intervention. President Trump said he planned to place a phone call to try to halt the renewed hostilities.
As civilians fled their homes for temporary shelters, details on casualties and the full extent of damage were still emerging. International observers and regional leaders called for restraint and renewed diplomacy to prevent further escalation along the volatile border.
