On Thursday, Thailand launched an airstrike using an F-16 fighter jet against targets in Cambodia. This action followed artillery exchanges that resulted in the deaths of at least 11 civilians.
According to Reuters, both sides accused each other of provoking the morning clashes in the disputed border area, which escalated from gunfire to heavy artillery. Fighting erupted in at least six locations along the 209 km border, the sovereignty of which has been contested for over a century.
The Thai army reported that six F-16 fighters were deployed, one of which conducted a precision strike on a military target in Cambodia. Cambodia's foreign ministry described Thailand's actions as "reckless and brutal military aggression".
Quote: "These are the most intense hostilities between the two countries in the past 13 years. They occurred after Thailand recalled its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelled a Cambodian envoy in response to a second incident in which a Thai soldier lost a limb due to a mine, which Bangkok claims was recently laid by Cambodian troops. Cambodia called the accusations baseless".
Details: The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday. The United States, a long-time ally of Thailand, has called for an immediate ceasefire.
Thailand reported 12 fatalities in three provinces, including 11 civilians, one of whom was an eight-year-old boy. An additional 31 individuals were injured. The number of casualties on the Cambodian side is currently unknown.
The Thai health minister stated that a shell struck a hospital in Surin province, labeling it a "war crime".
Thailand has evacuated over 40,000 people from border areas. Residents, including children and the elderly, are taking shelter in concrete bunkers filled with sandbags. Video footage shows black smoke rising over a gas station in Sisaket province, where a fire broke out following shelling.
Thailand and Cambodia have been disputing jurisdiction over various unmarked sections of their 817-km border for decades, especially around the Hindu temples of Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear. In 1962, the International Court awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia, but tensions flared again in 2008 when Cambodia attempted to list the temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In June, Cambodia filed a lawsuit with the International Court to resolve the dispute, but Thailand stated that it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and insists on a bilateral approach.
