Latest news with #rocket strike
CNA
6 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row
The Thai public health ministry said one soldier and at least 11 civilians were killed, most of them in a rocket strike near a petrol station in Sisaket province. Footage from the scene showed smoke pouring from a convenience store attached to the petrol station. Provincial officials said most of the dead were students inside the shop when the attack happened. "I heard a loud noise three or four times, and when I looked over, there was a gigantic cloud of smoke," Praphas Intaracheun, a 53-year-old gardener from Sisaket province, told AFP. He was refuelling at another petrol station around 300m from the one that was hit. "I was absolutely shocked. This is the first time I've ever experienced anything like this," he said. "I'm scared it might escalate during the night when you can't see anything. I don't even dare sleep." The Thai public health ministry said 35 civilians have been wounded. "I DON'T EVEN DARE SLEEP" Fighting was focused on six locations, the Thai army said, with ground troops and tanks battling Cambodian forces for control of territory. Six Thai air force jets were deployed, hitting two "Cambodian military targets on the ground", according to Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon. Cambodia has not yet commented on casualties on its side. Defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata refused to answer when asked about the issue at a news conference. Both sides blame the other for starting the fighting, which erupted near two temples on the border. The Cambodian defence ministry said its forces had responded in self-defence against an "armed assault". Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to address what his foreign ministry labelled "unprovoked military aggression". Thailand's government, meanwhile, accused Cambodia of being "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry" and said all border crossings had been shut and nearby residents evacuated. The Thai military blamed Cambodian soldiers for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin province, wounding three people. Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible". China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for dialogue - while urging its citizens in Cambodia to avoid the border with Thailand. LONG-RUNNING ROW The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine. Cambodia downgraded ties to "the lowest level" on Thursday, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh. The border row also kicked off a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct. A diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Hun Manet, was leaked from the Cambodian side, sparking a judicial investigation. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on both sides to "stand down" and start talks.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Civilians wounded as Thailand, Cambodia trade fire
At least three civilians were wounded in a Cambodian rocket strike on Thursday as its military clashed once again with Thailand over disputed territory. Fighting erupted near two temples on the border between the Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. Both governments blame the other for triggering the fresh clash. The two nations are locked in disagreement over the Emerald Triangle — an area where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, and home to several ancient temples. The neighboring countries have been arguing over where the border should be drawn for years. A livestream video from Thailand's side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker as explosions sounded. How did the clashes break out? Thailand's army has blamed Cambodian forces for opening fire first, claiming that Cambodia targeted civilians with two BM-21 rockets which hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district. It said clashes began when a unit guarding the Ta Muen temple heard a Cambodian drone overhead. Thai soldiers then found six armed Cambodian soldiers, including one carrying a rocket-propelled grenade, approaching a barbed-wired fence in front of the Thai post. Thailand claimed its solders shouted to warn them, but Cambodian forces opened fire toward the eastern side of the temple close to the Thai base. Initial reporting suggested that at least three people were injured and that two people had been killed, though it wasn't immediately clear if the deaths were military or civilians. Meanwhile, Cambodia said its neighbor had violated a peace agreement and opened fire on the Cambodian army. "The Thai military violated the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia by launching an armed assault on Cambodian forces stationed to defend the nation's sovereign territory," Defense Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement. "In response, the Cambodian armed forces exercized their legitimate right to self-defense, in full accordance with international law, to repel the Thai incursion and protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The clashes come a day after Thailand recalled its ambassador from Cambodia and said it would expel his counterpart, after a second Thai soldier lost a limb to a landmine in a week. Bangkok alleged the landmines were recetly placed in the disputed region. Thailand deploys fighter jet: reports Thailand's military deployed an F-16 fighter jet, the nation's army said on social media, as the dispute escalated. The forces claimed the F-16 had destroyed a Cambodian military target. On the other side of the border, Cambodia's defense ministry said Thai fighter jets had dropped two bombs on a road. Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave "as soon as possible" in a Facebook post. Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
CNA
7 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Civilians wounded as Cambodia, Thailand trade fire in fresh border clashes
PHNOM PENH: Thailand's army said three civilians were wounded in a Cambodian rocket strike on Thursday (Jul 24) as the two countries' militaries clashed again in an escalating row over a disputed border. The neighbours are locked in a bitter spat over an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, and which is home to several ancient temples. The squabble has dragged on for decades, flaring into bloody military clashes more than 15 years ago and again in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight. Fresh fighting erupted on Thursday morning near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. "The Thai military violated the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia by launching an armed assault on Cambodian forces stationed to defend the nation's sovereign territory," defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement. "In response, the Cambodian armed forces exercised their legitimate right to self-defence, in full accordance with international law, to repel the Thai incursion and protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The Thai army blamed Cambodian soldiers for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district, wounding three people. According to the Thai army, the clashes began around 7.35am (6.35am Singapore time) when a unit guarding Ta Muen temple heard a Cambodian drone overhead. Later, six armed Cambodian soldiers, including one carrying a rocket-propelled grenade, approached a barbed-wired fence in front of the Thai post, the army said. Thai soldiers shouted to warn them, the army said, but around 8:20 am, Cambodian forces opened fire toward the eastern side of the temple, about 200 metres from the Thai base. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said "the situation requires careful handling, and we must act in accordance with international law". "We will do our best to protect our sovereignty," he embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible" unless they had urgent reasons to remain, in a Facebook post. LONG-RUNNING ROW The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in protest after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine. Wechayachai said an investigation by the Thai military found evidence that Cambodia had laid new landmines in the disputed border area -- a claim denied by Phnom Penh. On Thursday morning, Cambodia announced it was downgrading ties to "the lowest level", pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh. Recent weeks have seen a series of tit-for-tat swipes by both sides, with Thailand restricting border crossings and Cambodia halting certain imports. The Thai army said in a statement that one soldier lost his leg in the landmine blast, and others suffered ear injuries and chest pain. Cambodia's defence ministry on Wednesday night "categorically rejected the unfounded accusations" made by Thailand. The ministry said the border areas still contained "many landmines left over from past wars" which have not been fully cleared. The border row also kicked off a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct. A diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Prime Minister Hun Manet, was leaked from the Cambodian side, sparking a judicial investigation.
