Thailand's military has launched airstrikes along its disputed border with Cambodia after a ceasefire deal brokered by former US President Donald Trump collapsed due to escalating tensions between the two countries. The airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least four Cambodian civilians and one Thai soldier, forcing over 385,000 people from border areas to flee their homes.
The clashes began on Monday morning when Thai forces reportedly clashed with Cambodian troops along the disputed border, resulting in the killing of a Cambodian soldier earlier this month. The violence has continued despite a ceasefire agreement signed by Trump six weeks ago, which aimed to end a five-day war that erupted in July and killed at least 48 people.
Cambodia's defence ministry blames Thailand for the escalation, saying that Thai forces had launched attacks on its troops, while Thailand denies any wrongdoing, claiming it was responding to Cambodia's alleged mobilisation of heavy weaponry and repositioning of combat units. The Thai air force has confirmed that airstrikes were launched in several areas, targeting military targets.
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who helped broker the original ceasefire, urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint, warning that the fighting risked "unravelling the careful work that has gone into stabilising relations between the two neighbours". Trump also played down the incidents, saying he had "stopped a war" through his efforts.
The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back over 100 years, with conflict over the border recurring frequently due to nationalist sentiment. The issue remains contentious, with both countries claiming sovereignty over key areas of land that stretch across over 500 miles.
The clashes began on Monday morning when Thai forces reportedly clashed with Cambodian troops along the disputed border, resulting in the killing of a Cambodian soldier earlier this month. The violence has continued despite a ceasefire agreement signed by Trump six weeks ago, which aimed to end a five-day war that erupted in July and killed at least 48 people.
Cambodia's defence ministry blames Thailand for the escalation, saying that Thai forces had launched attacks on its troops, while Thailand denies any wrongdoing, claiming it was responding to Cambodia's alleged mobilisation of heavy weaponry and repositioning of combat units. The Thai air force has confirmed that airstrikes were launched in several areas, targeting military targets.
The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who helped broker the original ceasefire, urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint, warning that the fighting risked "unravelling the careful work that has gone into stabilising relations between the two neighbours". Trump also played down the incidents, saying he had "stopped a war" through his efforts.
The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back over 100 years, with conflict over the border recurring frequently due to nationalist sentiment. The issue remains contentious, with both countries claiming sovereignty over key areas of land that stretch across over 500 miles.
like what's goin on between those two countries tho? they've been fightin for like a century and it's still unresolved 
i feel bad for the people gettin displaced cuz of this conflict 
gotta wonder if diplomacy would be more effective than airstrikes 
anwar ibrahims warning makes sense tho, we don't wanna mess up the peace talks 
! I mean, what's up with these guys and their borders? It's like they forgot that sharing is caring 
. And Trump just sits back and says "I stopped a war"... like, how much does he get paid to say that? 
. The Malaysian PM sounds super level-headed as always 
. But seriously, who needs all this drama in their lives? Can't we just build some walls around our differences instead of shooting each other out of them 
. And 385,000 people on the run is just crazy... where's everyone supposed to go? 
The border issue has been there for 100+ years... maybe they should've negotiated a "take a deep breath" clause 
. Anyway, I'm done trying to solve this mess... anyone got a spare brain cell I can borrow? 
Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting over this border for like a century already, what's the point in all these airstrikes and soldier killings? 
It's so sad that four Cambodian civilians lost their lives and now 385,000 people are homeless. 
I feel bad for them.
He did help out initially, but in the end, the fighting continues. It's like, what more does he want to see? 
Can't they see how senseless it all is? 
this is so devastating news... airstrikes in a disputed border area can't just magically resolve tensions between two nations that have had it out for centuries... 
think about all the innocent people caught in the middle, having to flee their homes because of some politicians' decisions... 
This is getting out of hand 
.
. And what about the Malaysian PM's warning? Does nobody care about the bigger picture? 
. Can't we all just get along? 
at least four civilians lost their lives in those airstrikes, that's just devastating 
I think the international community needs to step in more, maybe send some peacekeepers or something 
anyhoo, hope the situation calms down soon and ppl can get back to their lives... its all so sad 
. I'm all for nationalism and protecting your country, but can't we all just talk about this stuff calmly? 
The fact that 385k people had to flee their homes is crazy, like, what's the point of all this fighting? 
. and honestly, how long can we expect these two nations to just ignore their history with each other? 
. And honestly, I think we need to acknowledge that this dispute has been going on for so long... 100 years is a looong time 
.
The least we can do is keep supporting organizations that help refugees and displaced people - they're the ones who'll suffer most if the conflict escalates 
this is getting outta hand... airstrikes and innocent lives lost? 385k ppl on the run? cant we just talk it out like humans? 
how do we break free from nationalism and sovereignty nonsense? 
.
and i'm really concerned about those 385,000 people who had to flee their homes 
what are they supposed to do now? find a new home somewhere? 
instead of resorting to violence 
We should all be sending positive vibes towards Anwar Ibrahim and his efforts to broker peace, btw... 
. Can't we just talk things out and find common ground?