Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire along their disputed border for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to ceasefire talks. Trump had also threatened that continued fighting would jeopardize their trade deals with Washington.
Fighting Continues Despite International Calls
According to Thai and Cambodian officials, at least 32 people have been killed and more than 200,000 have been displaced since the clashes began on Thursday. This comes despite calls from the United Nations, the United States, and China for an immediate halt to the fighting. Both sides have accused each other of starting the recent escalation and have traded responsibility for the ongoing conflict.
Hours after Trump’s announcement, the government of Thailand stated on Sunday that it was “not ready” to stop military operations and accused Cambodia of continuing to fire heavy artillery at civilian areas in its border province of Surin. “Any cessation of hostilities cannot be achieved” while Cambodia “is constantly violating the fundamental principles of human rights and humanitarian law,” the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Trump’s warning to the leaders of both countries was clear: he would not enter into a trade agreement with either nation if the deadly border conflict continued.
