What to Know About the Deadly Clash Between Thailand and Cambodia
Tensions at the Thai-Cambodian border have been rising for months, contributing to a brewing political crisis in Thailand that helped lead to the suspension of the prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, this month.
Here are live updates.
What happened on Thursday?
Shots were heard early on Thursday morning near Prasat Ta Muen Thom, an ancient temple on the Thai side of the border. The countries have long sparred over the ownership of the temple.
Each nation accuses the other of firing first.
The Thai army ordered an immediate evacuation of a border area in Surin Province, and said it had sent F-16 fighter jets to strike targets in Cambodia.
How many people have died?
Thai officials said that 11 civilians and one soldier were killed in the clashes and at least 31 people were injured, including a 5-year-old boy. Thousands of residents have begun evacuating from the area.
What is the context for these clashes?
Longstanding tensions between the countries began to escalate in late May after a skirmish between Thai and Cambodian troops along the border, which led to the death of a Cambodian soldier.
On Wednesday, a Thai soldier lost his leg when a land mine exploded near the border. Thailand then said that it would downgrade diplomatic relations with Cambodia, recalling its ambassador to the country and expelling Cambodia's ambassador.
What is the history of the broader conflict?
The two countries have had occasional military clashes and nationalist rivalries for hundreds of years. The border disputes can be traced back to a 1907 map created during French colonial rule in Cambodia. The two countries interpret the map differently.
Here is a timeline of the tensions.
Military fighting has broken out intermittently since 2008, but the last time that a major clash turned deadly was in 2011.
In that year, about a week of fighting in disputed territory killed at least 15 people, including civilians, and displaced tens of thousands of civilians. The fighting focused on a jungle border area that included ancient temples both sides had laid claim to.
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