BORDER FIGHTING BETWEEN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA ENTERS THIRD DAY, DEATH TOLL REACHES 32

The border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its third day, with the death toll rising to 32 and tens of thousands of people seeking refuge. The conflict has killed at least 19 people in Thailand, mostly civilians, and 13 people in Cambodia.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors on Friday, calling for both sides to exercise “maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution.” Cambodia’s U.N. Ambassador Chhea Keo said his country has asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and a peaceful solution to the dispute.

“We do not do that,” Keo said, responding to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand. “How a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size?” Thai Health Ministry officials reported that more than 58,000 people have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border.

The fighting began after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. The Thai military reported clashes early Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting “appropriate supporting fire” in return.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had spoken to both Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand’s Phumtham and urged them to open space for “peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue.

The 800-kilometer frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, with past confrontations being limited and brief. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand’s domestic politics. The conflict marks a rare instance of armed confrontation between ASEAN member countries.