After a brief period of peace achieved by United States President Donald Trump, the Asian countries returned to war
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Thailandlaunched airstrikes against military positions in Cambodia on Monday following an outbreak of renewed fighting at several points along their disputed border, in an episode that threatens to unravel the truce negotiated just a few months ago.
Both governments accused each other of violating the ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, after the military escalation recorded in July.
According to a spokesperson for the Thai Army, the clashes intensified around 5:00 a.m. (local time), leaving at least one Thai soldier dead and eight wounded. Thailand's Air Force defended the use of fighter jets, stating that Cambodia had mobilized heavy weaponry, repositioned units, and activated logistical support that could lead to larger-scale operations.
"These movements forced the use of air power to deter and reduce Cambodian military capabilities," the institution said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Cambodia's Ministry of Defense denounced Thai attacks at dawn on two military positions and claimed that its troops had not returned fire. Influential former Prime Minister Hun Sen accused Thailand of acting as an "aggressor" and urged Cambodian forces to remain calm. He warned that "the red line for responding has already been defined," without providing details.
Cambodian provincial authorities reported that three civilians were seriously injured. In Thailand, the Army ordered the evacuation of more than 385,000 people in four border districts, and more than 35,000 were already in temporary shelters.
The clashes reignite a border conflict that has persisted for more than a century in undemarcated territories along the 508-mile (817-kilometer) border shared by both countries, originally delineated by France in 1907 when Cambodia was a colony.
La disputa entre ambos países proviene desde la época colonial, por límites establecidos por Francia
Over the decades, this dispute has led to several violent episodes, such as the week-long artillery exchange in 2011. Tensions rose again in May with the death of a Cambodian soldier in a brief shootout, which resulted in months of diplomatic recriminations and armed hostilities.
An outbreak of violence in July left at least 48 dead and about 300,000 temporarily displaced until mediation by Anwar and Trump achieved an initial ceasefire. In October, both leaders oversaw the signing of an expanded peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur.
However, the deterioration resumed when Thailand suspended the implementation of the pact last month, after accusing Cambodia of placing new antipersonnel mines along the border, causing serious injuries to several of its soldiers.
El presidente Trump había logrado un acuerdo de paz entre ambas naciones
Anwar, in his capacity as ASEAN president, urged both countries to exercise "maximum restraint" and keep dialogue channels open to prevent a larger conflict. He noted that the region has experienced very few internal military clashes in recent decades, and the use of cross-border bombings is an especially unusual occurrence.
Meanwhile, residents of the border areas live in fear. Thai residents of Ban Kruat reported hearing intense explosions since early morning. In Cambodia, local leaders and opposition figures indicated that entire families are seeking refuge far from the combat line, fearing that the violence could escalate again.
