Border conflict bloodier than before
Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day, as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33 and Phnom Penh called for an 'immediate ceasefire'.
A long-running border dispute erupted into intense conflict involving jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, prompting the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis Friday.
Cambodia's Defence Ministry said 13 people were confirmed killed in the fighting, including eight civilians and five soldiers, with 71 people wounded.
In Thailand, the army said five soldiers were killed on Friday, taking the toll there to 20 – 14 civilians and six military.
The death toll across the two countries is now higher than the 28 killed in the last round of fighting between 2008 and 2011.
Both sides reported a clash around 5am local time yesterday, with Cambodia accusing Thai forces of firing 'five heavy artillery shells' into locations in Pursat province, which borders Thailand's Trat province – on the coast some 250km southwest of the main frontlines.
AFP journalists in the Cambodian town of Samraong, near the ridge of forest-clad hills that marks the border and has seen the bulk of the fighting, heard the thump of artillery yesterday afternoon.
The fighting has forced more than 138,000 people to be evacuated from Thailand's border regions, with more than 35,000 driven from their homes in Cambodia.
After the closed meeting of the Security Council in New York, Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo said his country wanted a ceasefire.
'Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire – unconditionally – and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,' he told reporters.
Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said yesterday that for any ceasefire or talks to proceed, Cambodia needed to show 'genuine sincerity in ending the conflict'.
'I urge Cambodia to stop violating Thai sovereignty and to return to resolving the issue through bilateral dialogue,' Maris told reporters.
Both sides have blamed the other for firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket.
Cambodia has accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions.
The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday two Thai rockets had hit a school compound in Oddar Meanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the province have been closed.
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra – still an influential figure in the kingdom – visited shelters yesterday to meet evacuees.
'The military needs to complete its operations before any dialogue can take place,' Thaksin told reporters.
The 76-year-old said he had no plans to contact Hun Sen, Cambodia's powerful ex-prime minister who was long a close ally.
'His actions reflect a disturbed mindset. He should reflect on his conduct,' Thaksin said of Hun Sen. — Agencies
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