Schools across Cambodia and Thailand were forced to close on Monday (15 December) as border clashes between the two countries escalated, with the death toll reaching at least 40 and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, according to officials and local media.
Cambodia’s Education Ministry said 1,039 schools in six provinces have shut, affecting 242,881 students and 9,797 teachers, according to local outlet Fresh News.
The Interior Ministry confirmed two more civilian deaths, bringing Cambodia’s civilian toll to 15, with 73 others injured. State media reported that Thai F-16 fighter jets carried out airstrikes inside Cambodian territory.
In Thailand, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Bangkok formally appealed to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights after nine Thai civilians were killed and more than 600 schools and hospitals were closed. Thai Air Force F-16s also struck Cambodian military positions, with heavy fighting continuing along the frontier, according to the Thai Enquirer.
China expressed concern over the escalation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing is closely monitoring developments and called on both sides to exercise restraint, protect civilians, and work toward a ceasefire.
Officials said roughly 700,000 people have been displaced since fighting intensified last week. Overall, Cambodia reported 15 civilian deaths, while Thailand reported 16 soldiers and nine civilians killed.
The two countries signed a peace agreement in October in Kuala Lumpur, witnessed by President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, but the accord was later suspended after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a landmine explosion. T
he clashes come despite Trump’s statement on Friday that leaders of Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to halt renewed fighting.
Thai authorities said 18 Cambodian soldiers remain in Thai custody following incidents over the past five months.
Thailand and Cambodia have a long-running border dispute that has repeatedly erupted into violence, including clashes in July in which at least 48 people were killed.
Georgia and Uzbekistan are aiming to nearly quadruple annual trade to $1 billion, up from $267.6 million in 2025, as the two countries seek to stre...
Iran has warned against the military use of Starlink, saying it has developed domestic technology capable of countering cyber threats linked to the...
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of blaming Kabul for its domestic political and security problems, as Islamabad repeated claims that militants are...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
An explosion and fire have been reported at a major underground gas pipeline in Russia’s Penza region on 13 October, according to UA News, as cited by Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. The reports have not been independently verified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined high school students protesting outside a school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Tuesday, as a wave of student demonstrations continues across France.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a newly opened defence museum displaying weapons developed under his leadership, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers are set to discuss measures to tackle transboundary haze during preparatory meetings ahead of the ASEAN summit in November, as forest and land fires in Indonesia continue to affect air quality across the region, the Philippines said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment