Thailand and Cambodia agreed to halt weeks of fierce border clashes, the worst fighting in years between the Southeast Asian neighbours, which has included fighter jet sorties, rocket fire and artillery barrages, on Saturday.
In a joint statement, the countries’ defence ministers said both sides would maintain current troop deployments, with the ceasefire due to take effect at noon local time (0500 GMT).
"Both sides agree to maintain current troop deployments without further movement," the statement said, warning that any reinforcement would heighten tensions and undermine efforts to resolve the dispute.
The agreement, signed by Thai Defence Minister Natthaphon Nakrphanit and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha, brings to an end around 20 days of fighting that has killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million civilians on both sides of the border.
The ceasefire will be monitored by observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), alongside direct military-to-military coordination, Nakrphanit said.
"At the same time, at the policy level, there will be direct communication between the minister of defence and the chief of the armed forces of both sides," he told reporters.
The latest clashes were reignited in early December after the collapse of a previous truce brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, which had halted an earlier round of fighting.
Thailand and Cambodia have long disputed sovereignty at several undemarcated points along their 817-kilometre land border, with tensions periodically flaring into violence.
Saturday’s agreement also includes provisions for the return of displaced civilians and a pledge by both sides not to use force against civilians.
Thailand said it would release 18 Cambodian soldiers held since July if the ceasefire holds for 72 hours.
The pact does not affect ongoing border demarcation work, leaving disputed areas to be addressed through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Thailand’s air force chief, Prapas Sornjaidee, said the conflict did not reflect relations between the two populations.
"War and clashes don’t make the two countries or the two peoples happy," he said. "I want to stress that the Thai people and the Cambodian people are not in conflict with each other."
Hezbollah has pledged to defend the region against Israeli forces, warning it will resist any move to occupy southern Lebanon, as Israel sets out p...
Lebanon has expelled Iran’s ambassador and declared him persona non grata, ordering his departure by 29 March, as tensions surge across the M...
The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated Tehran’s stand on the latest developments in the I...
Afghan authorities say Pakistani jets entered northern Afghanistan, while Pakistan insists its actions target terrorism, highlighting continued str...
Eurozone private sector growth almost stalled this month, a key survey showed on Tuesday, adding to evidence that the bloc is already feeling econo...
Global market valuation of virtual currencies has surged to an unprecedented $2.73 trillion, approaching half the value of the world’s gold reserves. Yet for many investors, the promise of decentralisation is overshadowed by a growing concern: digital assets may be seized without prior warning.
Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers on Wednesday, ending their 155-day detention. This comes after a ceasefire agreement between the two countries halted 20 days of fighting that killed over 100 people and displaced more than half a million. The soldiers were handed over at a border checkpoint.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 27th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Military representatives from Cambodia and Thailand met in Chanthaburi province on Wednesday ahead of formal ceasefire talks at the 3rd special GBC meeting scheduled for 27th December.
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
Trump says U.S. found “major points of agreement” with Iran and has paused strikes on Iranian power plants, but Tehran denies any direct talks or negotiations, contradicting U.S. claims - latest on Middle East conflict.
Pakistan has offered to host talks between the U.S. and Iran to bring an end to the conflict, while Lebanon has ordered the Iranian Ambassador to leave the country. Meanwhile, oil prices continue rising as the fallout from the Middle East conflict continues.
Violent clashes broke out between police and opposition protesters in Tirana on Sunday (22 March) as demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Albanian government following corruption allegations against the deputy prime minister.
FinaFinal results from Slovenia’s parliamentary elections indicate a near tie between the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and the liberal Freedom Movement Slovenia (GS), leaving neither side with a clear path to power.
Eurozone private sector growth almost stalled this month, a key survey showed on Tuesday, adding to evidence that the bloc is already feeling economic fallout from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, with inflation rising and growth slowing.
China is raising domestic petrol and diesel prices under temporary measures to manage a sharp surge in global oil costs, aiming to support fuel suppliers while maintaining market stability during a period of heightened volatility.
Russia launched drones and missiles overnight on Tuesday at Ukraine, killing at least three people, damaging houses and triggering fires, Ukrainian officials said.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday (23 March) that Britain must plan for the possibility that the Iran war could continue for some time, and added that he had no "meaningful concerns" about energy supply.
Australia and the European Union signed a trade deal on Tuesday that was eight years in the making, removing tariffs for almost all European goods and for nearly all exports of Australian critical minerals.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment