Fighting spreads on contested Thailand-Cambodia border

Deadly clashes escalated along the disputed Thailand-Cambodia border yesterday as both sides blamed each other for the fighting and vowed to defend their territories.

- Rebecca Ratcliffe

Seven civilians have been killed and 20 wounded in Cambodia and three Thai soldiers have died in the fiercest fighting since a five-day conflict in July. The two sides accuse each other of violating a US-backed ceasefire deal signed in the presence of Donald Trump six weeks ago.

The senate president, Hun Sen, said yesterday morning that Cambodia had retaliated "after being patient for more than 24 hours" to respect the ceasefire deal and evacuate civilians.

"Cambodia needs peace but Cambodia is compelled to counterattack to defend our territory," he said in a Facebook post, adding his country had strong bunkers and weapons that would give it an advantage.

Hun Sen, who was prime minister for almost four decades, remains extremely powerful in Cambodia despite handing power to his son Hun Manet in 2023.