Cambodian officials have issued a chilling warning to their Thai counterparts after accusing the country of a ‘reprehensible act’ amid the latest round of border hostilities
Cambodia has issued a chilling warning to Thailand as fierce fighting between the two nations flares again, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee.
Hun Sen, the President of Cambodia’s senate, has pledged a fierce fight against Thailand as a second day of widespread renewed combat between the Southeast Asian neighbours. Fighting broke out following a skirmish on Sunday during which two Thai soldiers were injured, derailing a ceasefire that ended fighting over competing territorial claims in July.
Mr Sen said in a fiery statement today that his country his been “forced” to fight back after Thailand carried out the Cambodian regime said was a “reprehensible act”.
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In a statement posted to Facebook and Telegram, Mr Sen claimed that his country had refrained from retaliating on Monday, but began to fire back at Thai forces overnight. He claimed that Cambodia favoured peace, but needed to re-engage in conflict to defend its territory.
He wrote: “Cambodia wants peace, but Cambodia is forced to fight back to defend its territory.” The last five days of fighting has left dozens dead on both sides, and forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 civilians.
In a sign that neither side was willing to back down, Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday that Cambodia had not yet contacted Thailand about possible negotiations and that the fighting would continue. He said in a more diplomatic statement: “We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”
“The government will support all kinds of military operations as planned earlier.” He said on Monday that military action was necessary to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and ensure public safety.
Thailand’s military said Cambodia attacked Thai positions with artillery and rocket and drone attacks on Tuesday, with officials also accusing Cambodian forces of firing at its troops on Sunday and Monday. But each side blames the other for shooting first. Cambodia’s military announced on Tuesday that the new fighting had killed seven civilians and wounded 20.
A Thai military spokesperson said that three soldiers had been killed, with its response to the renewed hostility including airstrikes along the frontier. Officials have pledged the operations would continue “until attacks stop”.
Civilians, meanwhile, are being evacuated to temporary shelters set up across Thailand and Cambodia, with the Thai army saying it had erected 500, accommodating 125,838 people. Neth Pheaktra, Cambodia’s information minister, said almost 55,000 people had been evacuated and the numbers were mounting.
Both nations have accused the other of starting the latest round of violence, with Cambodia’s culture ministry claiming Thai forces had Ta Krabey temple on Tuesday. Officials called the alleged action a “reprehensible act (reflecting) profound immorality”.
The Thai military, in turn, referred to the same 11th-century temple by its Thai name, and claimed Cambodian forces had launched rocket attacks into the north-eastern province of Surin.