Tensions Escalate at Thai-Cambodian Border as Landmines Threaten Ceasefire
Three Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine along the Cambodian border, reigniting tensions despite a recent ceasefire agreement. Thailand accuses Cambodia of violating a landmine treaty, while Cambodia denies fresh planting. The incident follows a series of border skirmishes and a fragile ceasefire maintained under ASEAN observation.
In a renewed escalation of border tensions, three Thai soldiers were wounded after a landmine exploded near the Thai-Cambodian border, the army stated. This incident occurred just days after a ceasefire agreement was struck between the Southeast Asian nations, following a deadly five-day conflict last month.
The Thai army confirmed that one soldier lost a foot, while two others sustained injuries when a landmine detonated during a patrol between Thailand's Sisaket and Cambodia's Preah Vihear provinces. Thailand intends to lodge a formal complaint against Cambodia for breaching a treaty that prohibits landmine use, a claim Cambodia refutes, stating no new mines have been planted.
The landmine incident comes amid a challenging peace process between the two neighbors, who have a long-standing history of border disputes. Despite assurances and international observation by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the border remains a hotspot of volatility, with recent history witnessing severe clashes and a significant loss of life, threatening to unravel the fragile ceasefire.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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