Thailand, Cambodian troops commerce heavy fireplace in newest border dispute conflict | Information

[ad_1] Two civilians reported killed in Cambodian shelling of Thailand as Southeast Asian neighbours conflict over long-running border dispute.

A minimum of two civilians have been reported killed in Thailand and two Thai troopers injured in heavy clashes with Cambodian troops at a disputed space of their shared border.

Thailand’s army mentioned on Thursday that Cambodian troops had opened fireplace earlier in an space close to the disputed Ta Moan Thom Temple – situated in a border space in northwestern Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, and intense combating was ongoing.

Thailand’s army mentioned Cambodia had deployed a surveillance drone earlier than sending troops to the world, including that Cambodian forces had then opened fireplace with heavy weapons, together with artillery and long-range BM21 rockets.

A minimum of two Thai troopers have been injured, Royal Thai Military spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon informed reporters.

Sutthirot Charoenthanasak, a district chief in Thailand’s Surin province, informed the Reuters information company that two individuals have been killed and others injured by Cambodian shelling on Thursday morning.

Some 40,000 Thai civilians from 86 villages alongside the border have additionally been evacuated to safer areas, the district chief mentioned.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Nationwide Defence issued its personal assertion on Thursday, accusing Thailand of attacking first.

In keeping with the assertion, Cambodian troops retaliated after coming below assault from Thailand’s military and had solely acted in self-defence.

The nation’s influential former prime minister, Hun Sen, mentioned in a put up on social media that Thailand’s army had shelled two Cambodian provinces bordering Thailand, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear.

Hun Sen mentioned that “the Cambodian military has no selection however to struggle again and counterattack”. He additionally referred to as for the general public to stay calm and never panic-buy rice and different meals provides.

“Please keep it up regular enterprise in all sectors and all over the place besides the border areas,” he mentioned.

The Royal Thai Embassy within the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, mentioned the scenario on the border had “repeatedly escalated” and, with clashes more likely to “be extended and develop”, urged its nationals to depart Cambodia “as quickly as potential”, except they'd pressing causes to stay.

Shortly after the Thai embassy’s announcement, Thailand’s army mentioned it had deployed an F-16 jet fighter for fight motion in opposition to Cambodian forces alongside the border.

<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3853827 size-arc-image-770" src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/AP25204529075129-1753328172.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80" alt="In this Sunday, July, 2025, photo released by the Royal Thai Army, Thai soldiers inspect a border area in Ubon Ratchathani†province where the Royal Thai Army said two anti-personnel landmines were found. (Royal Thai Army via AP)" fetchpriority="low"/> Thai troopers examine an space within the Ubon Ratchathani province, which borders Cambodia, the place the Thai military mentioned two antipersonnel landmines have been discovered [Handout/Royal Thai Army via AP] Thailand, Cambodia downgrade diplomatic relations The newest combating comes after a Thai soldier sustained accidents on Wednesday and misplaced his proper leg in a landmine explosion, which authorities in Thailand have blamed on Cambodia. Three Thai troopers have been additionally injured by a mine blast whereas on a patrol alongside the disputed border space on July 16.

Cambodia has denied planting mines, and claims that Thai troopers have veered off agreed jungle paths and triggered long-buried mines left behind from Cambodia’s many years of civil warfare.

Following the most recent landmine incident, Thailand’s governing Pheu Thai Get together mentioned it had recalled Thailand’s ambassador to Cambodia and would expel Cambodia’s ambassador from the nation.

Thailand has additionally downgraded diplomatic relations with Cambodia, the occasion mentioned.

In response, Cambodia mentioned that it might withdraw all of its diplomats from Thailand and ordered all Thai diplomats to depart the nation.

The Cambodian authorities has additionally downgraded diplomatic relations with Thailand to the “lowest stage”, decreasing it to the rank of “second secretary”, in keeping with native information outlet the Phnom Penh Publish.

In Might, the long-running border dispute between the 2 international locations boiled over into army clashes that left one Cambodian soldier dead .

Border pressure has soured relations between the Southeast Asian neighbours, with the 2 sides buying and selling barbs and tit-for-tat retaliatory measures, together with the closure of border crossings.

Cambodia has additionally blocked imports of gasoline and fuel, in addition to fruit and greens, from Thailand.

Thailand and Cambodia have for greater than a century contested sovereignty at varied undemarcated factors alongside their 817km (508-mile) land border.