Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Thailand and Cambodia have continued to exchange artillery fire, with the conflict spreading to new areas, Reuters reports.
At least 16 people have been killed and thousands have been forced to flee their homes in the increasingly fierce fighting along the border. Both sides blame the other for starting the conflict, and on the 25th of July the rhetoric became even harsher. Thailand has said that Cambodia is deliberately endangering civilians, while Cambodia has accused Thailand of using cluster munitions, a controversial and internationally condemned type of weapon.
The Thai prime minister has said that Cambodia started the attacks and that Thailand is only defending its territory. He told reporters that there is an invasion and aggression that is harming the population and that the situation could escalate to war. It is currently only a clash using artillery.
On Thursday, fighting took place in six places, but on Friday shots were heard in 12 places. The Thai army has accused Cambodia of using artillery and Russian-made missile systems to shell targets, including schools and hospitals.
The conflict began on the 24th of July and quickly escalated from small armed clashes to heavy shelling
in several places along the 210-kilometer (130-mile) border, which has been disputed for almost a century. On the 23rd of July, Thailand recalled its ambassador and expelled the Cambodian envoy, which triggered the armed conflict. The diplomatic maneuvers began after a second Thai soldier lost limbs to an anti-personnel mine that Bangkok accuses the neighboring country’s army of placing. Cambodia denies this.
More than 130,000 people have been evacuated from the conflict zone in Thailand. The Cambodian government has not provided information on the number of victims and evacuated people on its side. An official has indicated that 1,500 families have been evacuated in one Cambodian province alone.
Despite calls for a cessation of hostilities, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has announced that it is rejecting offers from third countries to act as mediators. So far, the United States, China and Malaysia have made offers to hold talks. The ministry believes that the conflict should be resolved directly bilaterally.
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