Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Ceasefire After Weeks of Brutal Border Clashes That Left 101 Dead and Over 500,000 Displaced
- Thai and Cambodian defence ministers sign historic agreement to end 20 days of fierce fighting that saw fighter jets, rocket fire and artillery barrages
- At least 101 people killed and more than half a million displaced on both sides of the border in the worst fighting in years
- Ceasefire agreement comes after US President Donald Trump’s brokered peace deal in July collapsed, leading to renewed violence in December
In a dramatic development, Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to put an end to weeks of brutal border clashes that have left a trail of devastation in its wake. The ceasefire, signed by Thai Defence Minister Natthaphon Nakrphanit and his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha, brings an end to 20 days of fighting that has claimed the lives of at least 101 people and displaced over half a million on both sides of the border.
The agreement, announced on Saturday, is a significant breakthrough in the conflict that has seen fighter jets take to the skies, rocket fire exchanged and artillery barrages unleashed. In a joint statement, the defence ministers warned that any further reinforcement of troops would only serve to heighten tensions and negatively impact long-term efforts to resolve the situation.
“Both sides agree to maintain current troop deployments without further movement,” the statement read. The ceasefire is set to take effect at noon local time, bringing a sense of relief to the hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced to flee their homes.
The conflict had been simmering for months, but erupted into violence in early December after a breakdown in a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump in July. The renewed fighting had raised fears of a wider conflict in the region, but the agreement signed on Saturday has brought a sense of hope that the violence may finally be coming to an end.