Arya News - Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodia along their shared border on Monday as fighting intensifies between the Southeast Asian neighbors.
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodia along their shared border on Monday as fighting intensifies between the Southeast Asian neighbors.
Both nations traded blame for the resumption in fighting, with Thailand stating Cambodia fired first. Cambodia has also accused Thailand of being the first to attack.
"It has begun," the Royal Thai Army said in a statement . "Cambodia opened fire."
The Thai army accused Cambodia of launching mortar and artillery rounds at Anupong base, killing a soldier.
In response, Thai F-16s were deployed, launching air strikes at Cambodian weapons positions, "which were long-range support weapons and posed a clear threat," the Royal Thai Army said .
Royal Thai Air Force spokesperson Air Marshal Jackkrit Thammavichai said Cambodia had mobilized "heavy weaponry, repositioned combat units and prepared fire-support elements," which he said were "activities that could escalate military operations and pose a threat to the Thai border area."
"These developments prompted the use of air power to deter and reduce Cambodia"s military capabilities to the minimum level necessary to safeguard national security and protect civilians," he said in a statement.
Cambodia rejected the accusation that it was the first one to attack.
Phnom Penh"s Ministry of National Defense said in a statement that Thai forces launched an attack on Cambodian forces at about 5 a.m. local time, and followed "numerous provocative actions for many days," the objective of which, Cambodia alleged, was to instigate confrontation.
"Cambodia did not retaliate at all during the two assaults and continues to monitor the situation vigilantly and with utmost caution."
Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia"s Ministry of National Defense, accused Thai soldiers of firing 25 small-arm rounds at Cambodian forces at 5:04 a.m., followed by 38 shots at 5:19 a.m. and 120 shots at 5:25 a.m.
Between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., Cambodia accused Thai forces of firing toxic gas, shells, artillery and an airstrike.
"Throughout the entire course of the attacks, the Cambodian forces did not retaliate at all," Socheata said in a statement .
On Sunday, Thailand said two of its soldiers were injured when fired upon by Cambodia. Thailand said it did not retaliate.
The Southeast Asian neighbors have battled for decades over disputed regions of their shared border, but tensions turned deadly in July when five Thai soldiers were injured after a landmine exploded in the border region.
After days of fighting, the two sides agreed to a fragile initial cease-fire, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, with a formal agreement signed in late October.
The cease-fire was later suspended by Thailand on Nov. 11, after four of its soldiers were again wounded by landmines while patrolling the border.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who witnessed the signing of the agreement in November alongside Trump, said he was "deeply concerned" by reports of renewed fighting.
"Renewed fighting risks unravelling the careful work that has gone into stabilizing relations between the two neighbors," he said on X.
"We urge both sides to exercise maximum restraint, maintain open channels of communication and make full use of the mechanisms in place. Malaysia stands ready to support steps that can help restore calm and avert further incidents."