Thailand-Cambodia conflict continues despite Trump’s announcement, attacks and shelling on the border

Fighting continues hours after Trump announced that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire.

Despite US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire, the border conflict between the two Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Cambodia has not stopped. Air strikes and shelling are still being exchanged between the forces of both countries. The fighting continues hours after Trump announced that the two countries had agreed to a ceasefire. The situation has become more complicated with the loss of lives and the massive displacement of people in the exchange of attacks.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that he told Trump that a ceasefire is not possible until Cambodia withdraws all its troops and removes landmines planted along the border. He wrote on social media, "Thailand will continue its military operations as long as there is no damage or threat to our territory and people. I want to make it clear - our actions this morning are proof of that."

Meanwhile, both sides reported continued shelling and gunfire along the border on Saturday. Cambodia's defense ministry claimed that Thai warplanes dropped bombs on a hotel building and a bridge. On the other hand, Thailand said that several civilians were injured in a Cambodian rocket attack.

At least 21 people have been killed in the renewed conflict so far and about 700,000 people from both countries have been evacuated to safe places. However, earlier this week, Trump claimed that he could stop the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia that began last Monday by talking on the phone.

In such a situation, after speaking with the prime ministers of the two countries on Friday night, the US Republican president wrote on social media that the two countries have agreed to "cease fire starting this evening" and that both countries will now return to the agreement signed in the presence of the US president last October. He also claimed that both countries are ready for peace.

However, there was no indication of an immediate ceasefire in the statements of both sides after speaking with the US president. Anutin said that he made it clear to Trump that Thailand is not the aggressor and that before the ceasefire, Cambodia must show proof that they have withdrawn their troops and removed landmines. They must first show interest. On the other hand, the Cambodian leadership says that they must continue to fight to protect the country's sovereignty.

Although there was talk of imposing tariffs to stop the conflict between the two countries in July, there was no talk of using tariffs as pressure to stop the conflict this time. Thailand had previously warned the US not to link the conflict to trade.

Meanwhile, Cambodia also reported on Saturday that the country had been hit by fresh Thai airstrikes. The Cambodian Defense Ministry said in a post on X, “On December 13, the Thai military used two F-16 fighter jets to drop seven bombs on various targets. The Thai military airstrikes have not stopped yet.”

On the other hand, the Thai military also confirmed that the fighting is continuing.

Incidentally, the two countries have been involved in a dispute over a land border that is about 800 kilometers long for more than a century. This border was determined by French cartographers during the French colonial rule in Cambodia in 1907.

News BBC