SURIN, THAILAND – Thai officials reported four civilian deaths Thursday as intense fighting erupted along the border with Cambodia, marking the first civilian fatalities since clashes resumed earlier this month. The latest flare-up follows a skirmish on Sunday that injured two Thai soldiers and disrupted a ceasefire brokered in July. The recent violence has left roughly two dozen people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands on both sides of the border.
According to the Thai Army, Cambodian forces launched an artillery and mortar attack on Wednesday night, prompting a counterstrike that destroyed several enemy vehicles. Cambodia’s defense ministry accused Thailand of violating international law through the use of heavy weapons and troop deployments into Cambodian territory. International concern has grown, with Pope Leo XIV expressing sorrow over the renewed conflict and the resulting civilian hardships.
The July ceasefire had been mediated by Malaysia under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened trade restrictions to secure compliance. Despite the agreement, tensions persisted, including disputes over captured soldiers and land mines. Trump stated he plans to speak with both leaders to encourage a return to the ceasefire, though Thailand has not yet been contacted. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to continue defending Thailand’s sovereignty while leaving the possibility of negotiations open.
Airstrikes by Thai jet fighters and BM-21 rocket fire from Cambodia have caused damage to residential areas and military targets. Thai forces reported nine soldier deaths and four civilian fatalities, most occurring during evacuation due to preexisting health issues. Cambodian officials reported 11 civilian deaths and 74 injuries. The historic Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, lies at the center of the territorial dispute, and the U.N. agency has offered assistance to protect the site. The conflict traces back to longstanding disputes over maps and borders from the colonial era, complicated by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling awarding sovereignty of the temple area to Cambodia.
