Border Fighting Between Thailand and Cambodia Intensifies as Ceasefire Crumbles

Border Fighting Between Thailand and Cambodia Intensifies as Ceasefire Crumbles
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Deadly clashes have intensified along the disputed Thailand-Cambodia border, with both governments trading blame for renewed violence, The Guardian reported. Authorities in Cambodia say seven civilians were killed and 20 injured, while Thailand confirmed the deaths of three soldiers in what officials describe as the most severe fighting since a five-day conflict in July.

The two sides accuse each other of breaching a US-backed ceasefire agreement signed six weeks ago. Cambodian senate president Hun Sen said his country had shown restraint for 24 hours but was forced to respond to defend its territory. Thai officials, meanwhile, stated that maintaining sovereignty required military action when necessary.

Hostilities expanded on Tuesday, with the Thai navy announcing operations to expel Cambodian forces allegedly entering Thai territory in Trat province. Thailand reported the use of rocket launchers, drones and artillery by Cambodian units, while Cambodia accused Thailand of firing into civilian areas and damaging cultural sites.
The escalation has triggered large-scale displacement.

Thai authorities said more than 125,000 people were sheltering in evacuation centers across four provinces, while Cambodia reported evacuations exceeding 21,000 people. The long-running border dispute, rooted in colonial-era mapping, has repeatedly sparked violence, and recent allegations of ceasefire violations have heightened concerns of a broader conflict.