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| Thailand-Cambodia: civilians killed in border fighting | |
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| Thai army says it has launched airstrikes on Cambodian military targets with fighting taking place in six locations | |
| Live coverage: Thailand carries out air strike on Cambodia targets | Live coverage: Thailand carries out air strike on Cambodia targets |
| Fatal clashes have broken out between Thai and Cambodian troops along a disputed section of their border with both countries accusing the other of provocation, after weeks of simmering tensions between the south-east-Asian neighbours. | Fatal clashes have broken out between Thai and Cambodian troops along a disputed section of their border with both countries accusing the other of provocation, after weeks of simmering tensions between the south-east-Asian neighbours. |
| At least two Thai civilians were killed and two others injured by shelling from the Cambodian side on Thursday, according to a district official, while the Thai army said it had launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia. | At least two Thai civilians were killed and two others injured by shelling from the Cambodian side on Thursday, according to a district official, while the Thai army said it had launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia. |
| Thailand’s military said it had closed all border checkpoints and that fighting was taking place at six different locations. | Thailand’s military said it had closed all border checkpoints and that fighting was taking place at six different locations. |
| It comes after clashes broke out near the Khmer Hindu temple, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning. The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. | It comes after clashes broke out near the Khmer Hindu temple, Ta Muen Thom, on Thursday morning. The Thai military said Cambodian troops had opened fire near the temple, and deployed a surveillance drone before sending in troops with heavy weapons, including rocket launchers. |
| Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault. | Cambodia has denied the claims, with its ministry of national defence saying it was the Thai military that launched the first armed assault. |
| “Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,” the ministry said in a statement. | “Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,” the ministry said in a statement. |
| In a later statement it condemned what it called reckless and brutal Thai military aggression, accusing its neighbour of opening fire on its troops and violating an agreement designed to de-escalate tension. | In a later statement it condemned what it called reckless and brutal Thai military aggression, accusing its neighbour of opening fire on its troops and violating an agreement designed to de-escalate tension. |
| Cambodia “strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia,” it said in a statement, adding Thai fighter jets had been deployed and had dropped two bombs on a road. | Cambodia “strongly condemns the reckless and brutal military aggression of the Kingdom of Thailand against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia,” it said in a statement, adding Thai fighter jets had been deployed and had dropped two bombs on a road. |
| Thailand said an F-16 fighter jet had fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. The army said several more jets were ready to be deployed. “We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. | Thailand said an F-16 fighter jet had fired into Cambodia and destroyed a military target. The army said several more jets were ready to be deployed. “We have used air power against military targets as planned,” Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon told reporters. |
| Cambodia’s influential former premier Hun Sen – father of current prime minister Hun Manet – said that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from Thailand’s military. In a statement posted online, Hun Manet said “Cambodia has always taken a stand to solve problems peacefully, but in this case we have no choice but to respond with armed forces against armed aggression.” | Cambodia’s influential former premier Hun Sen – father of current prime minister Hun Manet – said that two Cambodian provinces had come under shelling from Thailand’s military. In a statement posted online, Hun Manet said “Cambodia has always taken a stand to solve problems peacefully, but in this case we have no choice but to respond with armed forces against armed aggression.” |
| The clashes are the latest in a history of conflict along the 817km border that Cambodia and Thailand share, sections of which are subject to overlapping territorial claims due to disagreements about colonial-era maps. The last major clashes occurred between 2008 and 2011, when fighting and artillery exchanges killed at least 34 people, wounded many more and displaced thousands. | The clashes are the latest in a history of conflict along the 817km border that Cambodia and Thailand share, sections of which are subject to overlapping territorial claims due to disagreements about colonial-era maps. The last major clashes occurred between 2008 and 2011, when fighting and artillery exchanges killed at least 34 people, wounded many more and displaced thousands. |
| The hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand that have continued to escalate in recent months were initially ignited after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May in an armed confrontation in an area both countries claim as their own. | The hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand that have continued to escalate in recent months were initially ignited after a Cambodian soldier was killed in May in an armed confrontation in an area both countries claim as their own. |
| Commenting on Thursday’s clashes, Thailand’s acting premier, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the situation at Thailand’s border was “delicate”. “We have to be careful,” he told reporters. “We will follow international law.” | Commenting on Thursday’s clashes, Thailand’s acting premier, Phumtham Wechayachai, said the situation at Thailand’s border was “delicate”. “We have to be careful,” he told reporters. “We will follow international law.” |
| Thursday’s clash came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia’s envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine in the disputed area. | Thursday’s clash came after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia on Wednesday and said it would expel Cambodia’s envoy in Bangkok, after a second Thai soldier in the space of a week lost a limb to a landmine in the disputed area. |
| Thailand has said the landmines had been placed in the area recently, claims that Cambodia describes as baseless. Cambodia has many landmines left over from its civil war decades ago, numbering in the millions according to de-mining groups. | Thailand has said the landmines had been placed in the area recently, claims that Cambodia describes as baseless. Cambodia has many landmines left over from its civil war decades ago, numbering in the millions according to de-mining groups. |
| The Thai government has also ordered the closure of all border checkpoints under the jurisdiction of Thailand’s Second Army, the ruling Pheu Thai party said. | The Thai government has also ordered the closure of all border checkpoints under the jurisdiction of Thailand’s Second Army, the ruling Pheu Thai party said. |
| “Tourists are strictly prohibited from entering these border areas,” it said. | “Tourists are strictly prohibited from entering these border areas,” it said. |
| Many border checkpoints have already been closed by one side or the other or operated with restrictions. | Many border checkpoints have already been closed by one side or the other or operated with restrictions. |
| Nationalist passions on both sides have further inflamed the situation, and Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was suspended from office on 1 July to be investigated for possible ethics violations over her handling of the border dispute. | Nationalist passions on both sides have further inflamed the situation, and Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was suspended from office on 1 July to be investigated for possible ethics violations over her handling of the border dispute. |
| The details of a phone call she held with Hun Sen in a bid to deescalate the conflict were leaked, with critics accusing her of betraying her country and kowtowing to Cambodia. | The details of a phone call she held with Hun Sen in a bid to deescalate the conflict were leaked, with critics accusing her of betraying her country and kowtowing to Cambodia. |
| Mounting tensions have been punctuated by a diplomatic tit-for-tat, with Cambodia banning Thai movies and TV shows, stopping the import of Thai fruits and vegetables and boycotting some of its neighbour’s international internet links and power supply. It also stopped importing fuel from Thailand. | Mounting tensions have been punctuated by a diplomatic tit-for-tat, with Cambodia banning Thai movies and TV shows, stopping the import of Thai fruits and vegetables and boycotting some of its neighbour’s international internet links and power supply. It also stopped importing fuel from Thailand. |
| With Reuters and Associated Press | With Reuters and Associated Press |