Fighting flared once again along the contested border between Cambodia and Thailand early Sunday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced both nations had agreed to pursue a ceasefire.
Each side has blamed the other for launching fresh artillery attacks, as hopes for peace remain fragile.
Cambodia accused Thai forces of initiating Sunday’s hostilities by shelling positions and launching ground assaults, including near UNESCO-listed temple complexes.
The Cambodian Defence Ministry also claimed Thai troops were mobilising long-range weapons. Thailand, meanwhile, said it was responding to Cambodian fire into civilian areas, including the provinces of Surin and Sisaket.
Despite endorsing Trump’s ceasefire appeal, Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai insisted negotiations could not proceed while civilians were under threat.
“We’ve proposed a bilateral between our foreign ministers to conclude conditions for a ceasefire and withdrawal of troops and long-range weapons,” Phumtham said before visiting the border region.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirmed his government’s willingness for “an immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in a Facebook post, echoing earlier support for a similar proposal by Malaysia.
The renewed violence comes four days after the worst fighting in over a decade erupted between the two neighbours.
The death toll has surpassed 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia, with over 200,000 people evacuated from both sides.
Shelling continued throughout Sunday, with reports from Reuters journalists on the ground confirming the intensity of the exchanges.
Amid the chaos, ordinary citizens voiced support for peace. “It’s great that America is insisting on a ceasefire,” said Thavorn Toosawan, a resident of Thailand’s Sisaket province. “We all want this to end.”
The flashpoint remains the disputed ancient Hindu temples, particularly Preah Vihear and Ta Moan Thom, which have fueled territorial tensions for decades.
