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The powerful president of the Cambodian Senate, Hun Sen, vowed on Tuesday that his country would wage a fierce fight against Thailand, as tens of thousands of people fled border areas on a second day of renewed and widespread fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors.
The fighting erupted after a clash in which two Thai soldiers were wounded on Sunday, derailing a ceasefire that ended five days of clashes in July over territorial claims on their border, which left dozens of civilians and military personnel dead on both sides and the evacuation of more than 100,000 civilians.
Both sides vow to keep fighting
In a sign that neither side was willing to back down, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated on Tuesday that Cambodia had not yet contacted Thailand regarding possible negotiations and that the fighting would continue.
“We have to do what we have to do,” he said. “The government will support all types of military operations as previously planned.” He had said on Monday that military action was necessary to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and ensure public safety.
In a statement posted on Facebook and Telegram, Hun Sen claimed that his country had refrained from responding on Monday, but began firing on Thai forces overnight.
“Cambodia wants peace, but Cambodia is forced to fight to defend its territory,” Hun Sen stated. The political leader was prime minister of Cambodia for a long time until 2023, when he was succeeded by his son, Hun Manet, but is still widely considered the country’s de facto leader.
The Thai military reported that Cambodia attacked Thai positions with artillery and rocket and drone strikes on Tuesday. Thailand says Cambodian forces also fired on its troops on Sunday and Monday, with both sides accusing each other of firing the first shots.
The Cambodian Army announced on Tuesday that seven civilians had been killed and 20 wounded in the new fighting. For its part, a Thai Army spokesman announced on Tuesday that three soldiers have been killed in the latest clashes.
Thailand conducted airstrikes along the border on Monday, which it said were defensive action aimed at military installations. Surasant said those operations would continue “until the attacks cease.”
Villagers on both sides flee to safety
Meanwhile, ordinary citizens had to deal with life after being relocated out of danger zones.
An evacuation shelter at a university in the northeastern city of Surin, Thailand, housed more than 3,600 people. Evacuees sat or lay on thin mats spread across the floor, and several set up small tents in their assigned areas as sleeping quarters.
[Publicidad]