Bangkok: Thailand's military on Tuesday accused Cambodia of violating a ceasefire that came into effect from midnight following the deadliest conflict between the Southeast Asian neighbors in over a decade. A statement from the Thai military indicated that Cambodian troops had allegedly launched attacks in at least five different locations earlier on Tuesday. In response, Thailand's military stated that it had retaliated proportionately.
According to Deutsche Welle, Cambodia's Defense Ministry dismissed the Thai claims of a ceasefire violation. Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for the ministry, asserted in a statement, "After the ceasefire became effective, there has been no armed conflict on all front lines. This is the firm determination of the Cambodian leadership to implement the ceasefire." Thailand's acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, sought to play down the clashes, emphasizing that there was no "escalation." He reassured the media by stating, "Right now things are calm," and confirmed that he had spoken with Cambodia's defense minister.
The news of a possible truce violation came as military commanders from both sides were scheduled for talks. However, the discussions were delayed. A Thai military spokesperson, cited by Reuters news agency, mentioned that while military officials from Thailand and Cambodia had met in two areas, regional commanders from the most conflict-affected parts of the jungle-clad frontier had not yet convened. The talks, initially set for 10 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), were postponed with no new time scheduled as of yet.
The recent border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia resulted in significant casualties and displacement. At least 38 people were reported killed after fighting erupted last Thursday, involving jets, rockets, and artillery. Approximately 300,000 people were displaced during the five-day conflict. On Monday, a resolution seemed near when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's Phumtham agreed to an "unconditional" halt in the standoff. The truce talks were largely attributed to efforts by Malaysian Premier Anwar Ibrahim, with US President Donald Trump also claiming a role in facilitating the ceasefire.