A Thai F-16 jet bombed a military target in Cambodia as border tensions erupted into deadly clashes, killing at least nine civilians in Thailand.
A long-simmering border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into a deadly clash on Thursday, with a Thai F-16 fighter jet bombing a target inside Cambodia. The escalation, which both sides blame on each other, has resulted in at least nine civilian deaths in Thailand and a severe diplomatic crisis between the two nations, with Thailand closing its border.
ALSO READ Russian Plane Crashes in Far East; 50 On Board
The conflict ignited early Thursday near the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple. Thailand’s military stated it acted in self-defense after Cambodian troops fired “heavy artillery” on a Thai military base and civilian areas. "We have used air power against military targets as planned," said Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon. Thailand reported that nine of its civilians, including an 8-year-old boy, were killed in the shelling.
Cambodia presented a starkly different account, claiming the air strikes were an "unprovoked" act of aggression. Its defence ministry stated that Thai jets dropped two bombs on a road and condemned the "reckless and brutal military aggression... against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia." A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry said Thai troops made an unprovoked incursion and its forces responded in self-defence.
ALSO READ Man Fixes Finances with ChatGPT and 7 Prompts
The human impact has been severe, particularly on the Thai side of the border. Authorities have evacuated 40,000 civilians from 86 villages as residents fled to makeshift shelters. "How many rounds have been fired? It's countless," an unidentified woman told Thai media from a bunker. In addition to the nine deaths, video footage showed a gas station in a Thai province ablaze after being hit.
Tensions have been escalating for weeks, culminating in Thailand recalling its ambassador on Wednesday after two Thai soldiers lost limbs to landmines. Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of recently laying the mines, a claim Cambodia denies, stating the soldiers strayed into areas mined during its civil war decades ago. This incident follows a century-long dispute over several undemarcated points along their 817-km border, which led to deadly skirmishes in 2011.
ALSO READ The ₹1 Crore Dream is Over: Why It’s No Longer Enough
The situation remains highly volatile, with both nations' forces engaged and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai calling the situation "delicate." While Cambodia is calling on its neighbour to withdraw forces, the Thai government has stated it is "prepared to intensify our self-defence measures." International pressure for de-escalation is expected as the armed conflict threatens to destabilize the region further.
Disclaimer: This article was generated with the support of AI and
edited for clarity by the PulseNext team. Except for the headline and featured
image, the content is sourced from a syndicated feed. For details, please refer
to our [Terms & Conditions].
Post a Comment