PHNOM PENH – Smoke rose over border as first shots rang out at dawn, as Thailand and Cambodia, locked in a decades-long dispute, found themselves once again at the edge of chaos with air strikes and gunfire shattering the fragile calm that had barely settled since summer’s deadly clashes.
Air strikes and gunfire tore through disputed territories, leaving at least one Thai soldier dead and dozens injured. Both nations have accused each other of sparking the latest outbreak of violence.
Thai forces reported that Cambodian troops opened fire in Ubon Ratchathani province, prompting a deadly response from the Thai military that included targeted air strikes on multiple Cambodian positions.
Cambodia claims offensive came from Thai forces, who allegedly fired tanks near the historic Tamone Thom and Preah Vihear temples. Cambodian officials insist they did not retaliate, yet gunfire has terrified villagers in nearby border communities, forcing them to flee their homes in search of safety.
Authorities in Thailand evacuated roughly 35,000 people from the border region, fearing escalation could spiral further. This clash follows a minor confrontation on Sunday that wounded two Thai soldiers.
The recent flare-up recalls the deadly clashes of this summer, when five days of fighting claimed 43 lives and displaced nearly 300,000 residents before a fragile truce was brokered.
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