Phnom penh: Over 900 schools in six Cambodian provinces have been temporarily closed following renewed military attacks by Thai forces. As of December 11, a total of 909 schools across 20 districts in the provinces of Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Pursat, Koh Kong, and Battambang have ceased operations.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports reported that these closures have impacted 7,601 teachers and 216,107 students. The attacks, which began on December 7, have seen the Thai military using heavy weapons, F-16 fighter jets, and toxic gas across multiple locations, leading to civilian casualties and significant damage to infrastructure, including homes, temples, and health centers.
The Cambodian government has stated that it had no choice but to counterattack after enduring more than 24 hours of repeated violations of its territorial integrity, following a period of maximum restraint. The situation has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians and has significantly disrupted the education sector in the affected regions.