12 Killed in Cambodian Attack, Thailand Intensifies Retaliation
Twelve people have been killed in Thailand following an attack by Cambodia.
Tensions between the two countries escalated from Thursday morning when clashes began along the border region, eventually leading to airstrikes by both sides later in the day.
According to the BBC, twelve people were killed in Cambodia’s attack on Thailand, including one military officer. The remaining victims were civilians, including children and teenagers.
The BBC reported that the deaths occurred in various provinces of Thailand: 2 in Surin Province, 1 in Ubon Ratchathani, and 8 in Sisaket Province. An additional 35 people were injured.
Following Cambodia’s rocket attacks, Thailand retaliated using F-16 fighter jets to strike Cambodian military bases. The Thai offensive intensified throughout the afternoon.
However, Cambodia has not publicly disclosed the number of casualties or the extent of material damage on its side. Images and reports show damage to a petrol station in Thailand due to Cambodia’s airstrikes.
Western media have reported that, in terms of military strength, Thailand is three times more powerful than Cambodia.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it had no option but to respond to the attack.
Both countries have blamed each other for initiating the conflict on Thursday morning.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of provoking the conflict through rocket attacks, while Cambodia claims the tension began when Thai soldiers violated a prior agreement by advancing into a temple area near the border and attempting to install barbed wire fencing.
As tensions escalated, both countries downgraded their diplomatic relations.
Thailand and Cambodia have faced border disputes for decades. After Cambodia gained independence from French colonial rule, border issues between the two nations have repeatedly sparked tensions.
The two countries share an 817-kilometer-long border, originally demarcated during the colonial period by France—a demarcation Thailand has never fully recognized.
Cambodia has previously taken several disputed border issues to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in search of impartial resolution. The latest conflict also occurred in an area within a disputed zone Cambodia has submitted to the ICJ.
However, Thailand does not recognize the jurisdiction of the international court, arguing that some areas, particularly those around historic temples, remain undefined in existing maps.
In 2011, a major military clash took place between Thai and Cambodian forces near the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That conflict resulted in around 20 deaths and the displacement of thousands of civilians.
In response to the renewed tensions, countries including China and Malaysia have called for dialogue and peaceful resolution to the dispute.
