Cambodia blames Thailand for ‘ruthless’ bombardment amid border talks

US offers to mediate much talks to extremity the latest flare-up of violence, which has upended an October bid accord.

Cambodia has accused Thai forces of carrying retired “ruthless” aerial attacks against it, adjacent arsenic the 2 sides clasp caller talks aimed astatine easing their long-running borderline conflict.

Thai combatant jets dropped dozens of bombs adjacent the northwestern Cambodian colony of Chouk Chey aboriginal connected Friday morning, causing “extensive demolition to civilians’ homes, properties, and nationalist infrastructure”, Cambodia’s authorities quality bureau cited the defence ministry arsenic saying.

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Later successful the morning, Thai forces besides launched artillery attacks successful the Stung Bot country adjacent the border, reported the Cambodian quality bureau Agence Kampuchea Presse.

Cambodia’s defence ministry condemned the attacks arsenic “grave acts of aggression” that intentionally endangered “civilian lives and civilian infrastructure”. It said the attacks successful Chouk Chey were “exceptionally ruthless and inhumane”.

The unit marks the latest flare-up since renewed clashes broke retired connected December 8, derailing an expanded ceasefire brokered by the United States and Malaysia successful October. Fighting this period has killed astatine slightest 96 people, according to authorities connected some sides, portion displacing astir 1 cardinal people.

Defence officials from Thailand and Cambodia held their first talks since renewed clashes started, connected Wednesday, though they did not look to nutrient immoderate large diplomatic breakthrough.

Cambodia’s Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said the 2 sides planned to continue further talks nether a bilateral borderline committee connected Friday, according to the Anadolu quality agency.

She hoped caller talks would assistance re-establish a truce, bring determination stableness and let displaced civilians to instrumentality to their homes, reported Anadolu.

US, Russia impulse diplomatic resolution

The struggle betwixt Thailand and Cambodia stems from a territorial quality implicit the colonial-era demarcation of their 800km (500-mile) borderline and a smattering of past temple ruins situated connected the frontier.

Each broadside has blamed the different for instigating the renewed fighting, claiming self-defence, portion trading accusations of attacks connected civilians.

On Thursday, the US expressed interest astir the outburst of unit and offered to mediate caller talks. In a telephone with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio “reiterated President [Donald] Trump’s tendency for bid and the request to afloat instrumentality the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords,” according to a media merchandise by the US State Department.

Russia has besides encouraged the 2 sides to extremity the quality diplomatically.