The Cambodian Ministry of Defense said that Thailand is extending its offensive in the hinterland. According to reports from the ministerial spokesperson, Lieutenant General Mali Socheat, the Thai troops are using heavy ammunition and military equipment, including F-16 hunting and bunch bombs, to attack civil objectives, in areas of Cambodia outside the disputed area in which the conflict on Thursday broke out.
From 24 July, the Thai forces have affected not only Cambodian military positions, but also civil objectives, including schools, pagodas, petrol stations and residential areas, said Socheat. In addition, Thailand has declared martial law in different areas of the Provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi, on the border with the provinces of Kah Kong and Poulytry in Cambodia, and has deployed additional troops and weapons along the border with the province of Bontey Miencha.
“These actions clearly demonstrate the intention of Thailand to expand the conflict and violate the territorial sovereignty of Cambodia”, underlined the representative of the Ministry of Cambodian defense.
The clashes on the border between Cambodia and Thailand have caused 33 deaths so far on both sides of the border while with Phnom Penh asks for a “ceased the immediate fire”. The border dispute, which had been hatched for some time, intensified since Thursday with clashes that involved war planes, tanks, earth troops and artillery fire. A level of violence that has not been seen since 2011, which pushed the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency meeting.
According to the latest budget released this morning by the Ministry of Cambodian defense, 13 people were killed and 71 other wounds on the Cambodian side. The Thai army, for its part, reported that five soldiers were killed on Friday, bringing the budget of the victims to 20 on the Thai side, including 14 civilians and six soldiers.
In total, the budget of the victims now exceeds that of the previous series of important border clashes between the two countries, which caused 28 deaths between 2008 and 2011.
Both parties reported clashes around 5:00 in the morning: Phnom Penh accused the Thai forces of having shot “five heavy artillery shots” in different places in the province of Pursat, on the border with Thailand.
The clashes forced over 138,000 people to evacuate the Thai areas on the border with the country, while in Cambodia over 35,000 people were forced to abandon their homes.
Following the meeting behind closed doors of the United Nations Security Council in New York, the Cambodian ambassador to the United Nations, Chhea Keo, said that his country wishes a fire. “Cambodia asked for a ceased for immediate and unconditional fire and we also asked for a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” he told journalists.