Thailand carries airstrikes on Cambodian military target
(MENAFN) Thailand confirmed on Thursday that it carried out an airstrike on a Cambodian military target, marking a sharp escalation in ongoing border tensions rooted in decades-old territorial disputes.
According to Thai army deputy spokesperson Richa Suksuwanon, the operation involved the use of “air power against military targets as planned.” The Cambodian Defense Ministry said two bombs were dropped from a Thai aircraft onto a road in the disputed area, which lies near the ancient 11th-century Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple.
The renewed hostilities follow months of rising friction between the two Southeast Asian neighbors over a contested stretch of land shaped by colonial-era French maps. While minor clashes have occurred sporadically since 2008, this latest round of violence began in late May and has now escalated to aerial attacks.
Thai officials reported that 11 civilians were killed by Cambodian artillery strikes. Video footage circulating online showed a petrol station engulfed in flames, allegedly struck by a Cambodian rocket. Thai authorities have since ordered evacuations in four border provinces as a precautionary measure.
Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned what it described as “unprovoked, premeditated, and deliberate attacks,” insisting that its forces acted in self-defense. Phnom Penh demanded the immediate withdrawal of Thai troops to “their side” of the border.
In response, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry blamed Cambodia for provoking the confrontation, citing recent landmine incidents that injured Thai soldiers. Officials claim the mines were freshly planted and not remnants from past conflicts.
The intensification of military action has raised alarms in the region, with fears that the long-standing dispute could spiral into broader conflict. International observers have called for restraint and urged both countries to resume negotiations under the auspices of ASEAN or the United Nations.
As of now, both nations remain on high alert, with no indication of a diplomatic breakthrough on the horizon.
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