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.
Cambodia’s 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 Trump’s announcement of a truce.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul defended the military actions, saying operations would continue “until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people.”
Trump’s role in ceasefire
On Friday, Trump said he spoke with both leaders—Anutin and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet—about ending the conflict. He tweeted that both countries had agreed to “CEASE all shooting effective this evening” and return to the peace accord brokered with Malaysia’s 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 sides
Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized Cambodia’s 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 Thailand’s prior compliance had been challenged after soldiers were wounded by landmines. He noted that the US promised Thailand “better benefits than other countries” 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.
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