Thailand and Cambodia continue fighting despite Trump’s assurances
Thailand announced on Saturday that it would continue its military operations against Cambodia, despite statements from former U.S. president Donald Trump claiming that both Southeast Asian neighbors had agreed to a ceasefire.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that military actions would persist as long as Thailand considers its territory and population to be under threat. According to Thai military officials, retaliatory operations were carried out early in the morning, including air strikes on targets described as strategic supply routes across the border.
The Thai air force said the operations were conducted using precision-guided weapons in order to limit civilian harm. Cambodian authorities, however, accused Thailand of expanding its attacks to include civilian infrastructure, alleging that fighter jets carried out multiple bombings on Cambodian territory.
The renewed hostilities have already resulted in more than 20 deaths and have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee on both sides of the roughly 800-kilometer border. Both governments continue to blame each other for triggering the escalation.
The announcement of continued military action came only hours after Donald Trump said he had spoken with the leaders of both countries and that they had agreed to stop fighting and return to a previous peace arrangement, with support from regional partners.
While Thailand has insisted that Cambodia must respect any ceasefire commitments, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reiterated that his country favors peaceful means to resolve disputes. He also called for international partners to help determine responsibility for the outbreak of violence earlier this month.
Thailand and Cambodia have long-standing territorial disputes dating back to the colonial era, particularly in areas surrounding historic temple sites. Previous clashes earlier this year caused significant casualties and displacement before a temporary ceasefire was brokered with international mediation. That agreement has since collapsed, raising concerns about further instability in the region.
