Thai army says Cambodia claims new border strike was accident amid truce

A disputed border region was attacked by a Thai soldier, and the Thai army claims a new strike was an accident because a late-December ceasefire is still in effect. A Thai soldier was also hurt in a mortar attack.

After bombarding a border province on Tuesday morning, Thai forces had accused their Cambodian counterparts of breaking the 10-day truce.

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However, the Thai military claimed in a later statement that the Cambodian side had contacted them to let them know that “there was no intention to fire into Thai territory,” adding that “the incident was caused by Cambodian personnel’s operational error.”

One soldier was harmed by shrapnel and taken to a hospital after being shot by Thailand’s army, according to a complaint lodged by Cambodian forces against Thailand’s army.

The Thai army said that if such errors occur again, Thailand may be forced to take defensive countermeasures in the area.

ongoing, lingering conflict

In December, dozens of people were killed and about one million were displaced on both sides due to the decades-old conflict between the Southeast Asian neighbors, which erupted into military clashes several times last year.

On December 27, the two nations came to an end to three weeks of hostilities.

On Tuesday, Cambodia’s alleged strike, Maly Socheata, a spokeswoman for the ministry of national defense, declined to comment on the situation.

The nations’ long-standing conflict is related to the colonial-era demarcation of their 800 km (500 mile) border, where both sides assert territory and ancient temple remnants.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to halt fighting in the midst of the December truce, suspend troop movements, and support demining efforts along their borders.

18 Cambodian soldiers have also been freed from arrest since July’s deadly border clashes, which claimed dozens of lives that month.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the release of the Cambodian soldiers as “a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building,” according to its ministry of foreign affairs on December 31.

Phnom Penh stated last week that it was still “hopeful” that their release would “significantly contribute to building mutual trust.”

In July, Cambodia and Thailand exchanged a truce between the United States, China, and Malaysia, but that truce was ineffective.

After the neighbours agreed to extend their truce, US President Donald Trump flew to Malaysia to oversee the signing of a follow-on declaration.

However, Thailand ended the deal the following month after Thai soldiers were struck by landmines while border patrolling.

Cambodia demanded on Thailand to withdraw its forces from several border regions that Phnom Penh claims as its own on Saturday, one week after the December truce was in effect.

The Thai military insists that its forces are stationed in areas that have always belonged to Thailand and has refuted claims that it used force to seize territory from Cambodia.

The two countries still need to agree to end fighting after a late last month pact to end it.

Cambodia’s defense ministry announced on Tuesday morning that Phnom Penh had suggested holding a bilateral border committee meeting with Thai counterparts this month in Siem Reap province.