intense clashes persist

Intense Clashes Persist at Key Thai-Cambodian Border Flashpoints

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BANGKOK – Fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border remained intense on Saturday, with particularly heavy exchanges reported in parts of Si Sa Ket province. According to a situation update from the 2nd Army Area, Cambodian forces launched repeated artillery strikes and armored attacks on Thai positions in several zones, prompting Thai counter-fire that destroyed multiple enemy firing points and vehicles.

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The conflict saw some of the heaviest drone deployments observed so far, with numerous unmanned aerial vehicles, including FPV attack drones, reported over Thai positions throughout Friday night. In the Phanom Dong Rak area of Surin province, Cambodian forces attempted to reinforce their positions and fired heavy weapons at Thai troops near the Ta Kwai temple, drawing retaliatory artillery and mortar fire.

The Thai army confirmed it has secured the strategic Hill 350 near the temple and recovered the bodies of two soldiers killed in earlier fighting. One Thai soldier was injured in a separate strike near Ta Muen Thom in Surin and has been transferred for medical treatment. Other sectors, including sections of Ubon Ratchathani and Buri Ram provinces, were reported as relatively calm with heightened monitoring but no significant hostilities.

Despite the ongoing clashes, the Thai military stated the overall situation remains under control, though it warned that Cambodian troops appear to be strengthening defensive positions and adjusting their battlefield posture in anticipation of further confrontations.

In a significant allegation, the 2nd Army Area released what it described as evidence showing Cambodian troops violating international humanitarian law over the past 13 days of conflict. The army accused Cambodian forces of using protected heritage sites as military bases, deploying civilians—including women and children—inside combat zones, and engaging them in direct and indirect military support roles.

Video and photographic material reportedly shows Cambodian military activities inside ancient structures, civilians handling ammunition and explosive devices, and the presence of landmines and improvised explosive devices in restricted areas. The army stated these actions breach the Geneva Conventions and broader international humanitarian law, which require parties to clearly distinguish civilians from combatants and prohibit the use of cultural heritage sites for military purposes.

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The army further condemned what it called “indiscriminate” firing by Cambodian troops, which it said has severely impacted civilian homes, hospitals, and schools—all non-military targets. It emphasized that even in wartime, humanitarian principles must be upheld to protect human life and dignity.

-Thailand News (TN)

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