Ceasefire in doubt as Cambodia accuses Thailand of ongoing airstrikes

Cambodia said on the morning of December 13 that Thai forces, including fighter jets, continued to strike targets along their disputed border, hours after US President Donald Trump said he had brokered a ceasefire between the two countries, according to Reuters.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Information said Thai forces had not halted their attacks and were still carrying out bombing operations. Thailand’s military rejected the accusation, instead alleging that Cambodia had committed “repeated violations of international rules” by targeting civilian areas and laying landmines.

Trump said late Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed “to cease all shooting” following phone calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. However, neither leader confirmed such an agreement in their subsequent statements. Anutin said there was no ceasefire in place, and Thailand’s Foreign Ministry referred questions about Trump’s claim to the prime minister’s comments.

In a Facebook statement on Saturday, Manet acknowledged his call with Trump, as well as earlier talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He said Cambodia continues to seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute in line with an agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur in October. At the same time, Manet said he had urged the United States and Malaysia to use their intelligence capabilities to determine which side initiated the latest round of fighting.

Since Monday, Thai and Cambodian forces have exchanged rocket and artillery fire at multiple points along their 817-kilometre disputed border, marking some of the heaviest clashes since a five-day confrontation in July. That fighting was halted after Trump intervened with calls to both leaders.

Trump sought to revive that truce, which was expanded in October during talks in Malaysia, where both sides agreed to withdraw troops and heavy weapons and to release 18 Cambodian prisoners of war. However, Thailand suspended the agreement last month after a Thai soldier was severely injured in an incident involving landmines that Bangkok says were newly planted by Cambodia. Phnom Penh has denied those accusations.

By Tamilla Hasanova