Negotiations aimed at halting deadly border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand entered a critical phase on Friday, even as both sides traded accusations of launching new military strikes.
The talks, now in their third day, are being held at a border checkpoint, with defense ministers from both nations scheduled to meet on Saturday. This diplomatic push follows a resurgence of fighting this month that has reportedly resulted in over 40 fatalities and the displacement of approximately one million people, shattering a previous, short-lived truce.
However, the atmosphere at the negotiating table was immediately complicated by fresh allegations of violence. Cambodian authorities stated that on Friday morning, Thai forces conducted a heavy aerial bombardment in a disputed area of Banteay Meanchey province, deploying fighter jets. Concurrently, reports from Thai media alleged that Cambodian forces launched overnight attacks in Sa Kaeo province, damaging several homes.
Each government has consistently blamed the other for instigating the renewed conflict, which has now spread across nearly their entire shared frontier. Both nations assert their actions are purely defensive and have accused the opposing side of targeting civilian areas.
The underlying dispute centers on a long-standing territorial disagreement over the demarcation of their 800-kilometer border, a legacy of the colonial era, and the sovereignty of ancient temple ruins located in the area. International efforts, including mediation by the United States, China, and Malaysia, secured a brief ceasefire in July, but it quickly collapsed.
The persistence of violence underscores the profound challenges facing negotiators as they work to establish a durable peace along one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile borders.