Cambodia said Saturday that Thai forces continued bombing its territory hours after a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump. The latest violence along their long-disputed border has displaced roughly half a million people on both sides.Cambodiaâs defence ministry reported that Thai F-16 fighter jets dropped seven bombs on targets inside Cambodian territory on December 13.
Officials claimed the bombing had not stopped, despite Trumpâs announcement of a truce.Thailandâs Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul defended the military actions, saying operations would continue âuntil we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people.âTrumpâs role in ceasefire.
On Friday, Trump said he spoke with both leadersâAnutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manetâabout ending the conflict. He tweeted that both countries had agreed to âCEASE all shooting effective this eveningâ and return to the peace accord brokered with Malaysiaâs Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.The July ceasefire, mediated by the US, China, and Malaysia under ASEAN, followed a five-day flare-up of violence.
A follow-on declaration in October, endorsed by Trump, sought to extend the truce and support new trade deals.Perspectives from both sidesPrime Minister Hun Manet emphasized Cambodiaâs adherence to peaceful dispute resolution. He suggested that the US and Malaysia could help verify which side initiated the December 7 clashes.Anutin highlighted that Thailandâs prior compliance had been challenged after soldiers were wounded by landmines. He noted that the US promised Thailand âbetter benefits than other countriesâ in trade deals, separate from the border conflict.
The ongoing clashes along the 800-kilometre border have displaced nearly half a million people. At least 20 deaths were reported this week alone, further worsening the humanitarian situation in the region.The continued bombings despite a high-profile ceasefire raise concerns over the effectiveness of international mediation and the stability of Southeast Asian borders.
