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World: In the ongoing conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, despite widespread calls for a ceasefire from multiple powers and hints by the warring nations towards readiness for talks, they traded heavy artillery fire and reported casualties on Sunday. The total death count has reached 33 while more than 1,50,000 million people along the 800 km border got displaced, Times of India reported.
As in the case of the conflict between India and Pakistan, United States President Donald Trump rose to the occasion to intervene and demanded that the warring nations agree to a ceasefire.
The clash between Thailand and Cambodia is rooted in a long-running border dispute involving ancient temple sites. The recent war, aggravated by political tensions, was reported by TOI.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Sunday that his government is open to talks about a ceasefire. He welcomed Trump’s efforts to mediate.
Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, “Just spoke to the Prime Minister of Cambodia relative to stopping the War with Thailand. I am calling the Acting Prime Minister of Thailand, right now, to likewise request a Ceasefire, and END to the War, which is currently raging.”
AFP reported that Hun Manet confirmed that the Cambodian foreign minister would coordinate directly with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to pursue dialogue with Thailand. But he warned Thailand against backtracking from any agreement.
Thailand's foreign ministry wrote late on Saturday that it agrees to a ceasefire “in principle” and to start a “bilateral dialogue”.
However, hostilities are continuing between the two despite the growing calls for a ceasefire. So far, Cambodia has lost 13 people, including eight civilians, it said.