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Thailand And cambodia The two were engaged in fighting along their border on Friday, while the two countries held talks to try to end armed clashes that broke out in early December, breaking a ceasefire agreed five months ago.
Cambodia’s defense ministry said Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop about 40 bombs on a village in the northwestern province of Banteay Meanchey.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, but the ministry said homes and infrastructure were destroyed.
Thailand’s military confirmed the attack, saying a joint army-air force operation was necessary to defend Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, which borders Banteay Meanchey and where the two countries have overlapping territorial claims.
Long-standing competing claims to territory along the border are the root of tensions that escalated into open war in late July. Mediation by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar IbrahimSupported by pressure from the US President donald trumpAfter five days of fighting both sides agreed to a shaky ceasefire.
Each side describes its current military actions as self-defense, and blames the other for ceasefire violations.
“If Cambodia is not faithful to the ceasefire, peace will not be possible and Thailand will have no choice but to launch a full-scale military operation to defend its sovereignty,” Thai Air Force spokesman Air Marshal Jakkrit Thammavichai said on Friday.
Meanwhile, military officials from the two countries held the third day of their already established General Border Committee working-level talks at a checkpoint between Cambodia’s Pailin province and Thailand’s Chanthaburi province.
The committee meeting is expected to end on Saturday, when the Thai and Cambodian defense ministers are expected to attend and formalize an agreement.
thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul Said Friday that Thailand hopes Cambodia will agree to a 72-hour ceasefire, and if it is successfully implemented, Thailand will consider repatriating Cambodian prisoners of war, a key demand.
According to officials, Thailand has lost 26 soldiers and one civilian as a direct result of the fighting since December 7. Thailand has also reported 44 civilian deaths from side effects of the situation. Cambodia has not released any official figures on military casualties, but says 30 civilians have been killed and 90 wounded.
Lakhs of people have been evacuated from the affected areas on both sides of the border.
Trump spoke by phone with the Thai and Cambodian prime ministers on December 12 and claimed on social media that they had agreed to resume their ceasefire. Anutin refused such an agreement and the fighting continued.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed in a call to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet this week that Washington stands ready “to facilitate discussions to ensure peace and stability” between Cambodia and Thailand, the US State Department said.
Amid the fighting, Thai media this week highlighted the rescue of five malnourished wild animals – a male lion, a lioness, a sun bear and two Asian black bears – from a casino that reportedly served as a Cambodian military base, which were captured by Thai marines on Sunday.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation told The Associated Press on Friday that the animals were sedated and taken to wildlife breeding centers in Thailand. Upon arriving at their new homes by Christmas, the lioness was named “Merry” and the lion “Christmas” to celebrate their rescue.
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Sopheng Chiang contributed to this report from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.