Deadly clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors near the disputed border between Thailand and Cambodia continued on Thursday ahead of an expected phone call by US President Donald Trump to the leaders of the two countries.
At least 19 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in the latest violence, while millions have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thursday he would “explain and clarify” the situation to Trump during the call.
“If he contacts me he will have to hear the details directly from me,” he told reporters. “I believe the Foreign Minister may already be providing information at the diplomatic level.”
It is the deadliest clash between the two countries since a five-day war in July, which ended with a ceasefire brokered by Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
What you need to know about the controversy
- At the center of the decades-old border dispute is the Emerald Triangle – a border area with several temples that both countries claim.
- Thailand and Cambodia signed a peace agreement on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in October
- The ceasefire was canceled after Thailand accused Cambodia of laying new landmines in the area.
- Both countries have repeatedly blamed each other for starting the fighting
- This week, Thailand launched airstrikes on Cambodian territory, which it claimed were in response to a ground attack.
- Cambodia initially said it did not retaliate but then vowed to retaliate
- Thousands of people have been evacuated on both sides of the border, some taken to shelters
Cambodia asks UNSC to intervene
In a letter to the UN Security Council, Cambodia’s ambassador to the UN asked the international body to pressure Thailand to “immediately cease all attacks”, followed by an independent fact-finding mission.
The letter described the latest Thai military operations as a “violation of international humanitarian law.”
Meanwhile, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry accused Thailand of targeting schools and temples. Thailand has denied that it targets civilian infrastructure, which is a war crime under international law.
Edited by Carl Sexton