Cambodia blames Thailand for ‘ruthless’ bombardment amid border talks 

Cambodia has accused Thai forces of carrying out “ruthless” aerial attacks against it, even as the two sides hold new talks aimed at easing their long-running border conflict.

Thai fighter jets dropped dozens of bombs near the northwestern Cambodian village of Chouk Chey early on Friday morning, causing “extensive destruction to civilians’ homes, properties, and public infrastructure”, Cambodia’s state news agency cited the defence ministry as saying.

Later in the morning, Thai forces also launched artillery attacks in the Stung Bot area near the border, reported the Cambodian news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse.

Cambodia’s defence ministry condemned the attacks as “grave acts of aggression” that intentionally endangered “civilian lives and civilian infrastructure”. It said the attacks in Chouk Chey were “exceptionally ruthless and inhumane”.

The violence marks the latest flare-up since renewed clashes broke out on December 8, derailing an expanded ceasefire brokered by the United States and Malaysia in October. Fighting this month has killed at least 96 people, according to authorities on both sides, while displacing about one million people.

Defence officials from Thailand and Cambodia held their first talks since renewed clashes started, on Wednesday, though they did not appear to produce any major diplomatic breakthrough.

Cambodia’s Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said the two sides planned to continue further talks under a bilateral border committee on Friday, according to the Anadolu news agency.

She hoped new talks would help re-establish a truce, bring regional stability and allow displaced civilians to return to their homes, reported Anadolu.

The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800km (500-mile) border and a smattering of ancient temple ruins situated on the frontier.

Each side has blamed the other for instigating the renewed fighting, claiming self-defence, while trading accusations of attacks on civilians.

On Thursday, the US expressed concern about the outburst of violence and offered to mediate new talks. In a call with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio “reiterated President [Donald] Trump’s desire for peace and the need to fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords,” according to a media release by the US State Department.

Russia has also encouraged the two sides to end the dispute diplomatically.