Thailand, Cambodia agree to temporary halt to resumed deadly border clashes

By Anadolu staff

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an immediate 72-hour ceasefire along their shared border to halt three weeks of fighting that left dozens dead and many others injured, official said on Saturday.

The agreement was announced in a joint statement issued after a meeting of the 3rd Special General Border Committee (GBC), a body co-chaired by the defense ministers of both Southeast Asian countries, according to Cambodian Prime Minister office.

The ceasefire will take effect on Saturday starting at noon local time (0500GMT).

Under the arrangement, both sides commit to halting all armed hostilities and pledge to avoid unprovoked fire, troop advances, or movements toward each other’s positions.

The ceasefire applies across all areas along the border and covers military targets, civilians, and infrastructure, the statement said.

Around 99 people have been killed over the past 20 days since clashes resumed on Dec. 8, a day after a border skirmish wounded two Thai soldiers.

In total, 26 Thai soldiers and a civilian were killed in the fighting. Additionally, 41 other civilians died due to “collateral effects" amid the border clashes, according to Thai authorities.

Cambodia’s Interior Ministry said 31 Cambodian civilians were killed.

Nearly 1 million people have been displaced on both sides since the renewed clashes began.

Thailand and Cambodia have a long-running border dispute that has repeatedly erupted into violence, including clashes in July in which at least 48 people were killed.