Thailand and Cambodia have signed a ceasefire after three days of negotiations, international news agencies report. This should put an end to the fighting that has flared up in the border area between the two countries in recent weeks.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, the truce will take effect on Saturday at noon (local time) and will apply “to all forms of violence”, including attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and military targets.
The agreement also states that Thailand will release eighteen Cambodian soldiers if the ceasefire lasts for 72 hours. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called on both countries on Christmas Day to end their mutual violence.
Also read this analysis
Thailand is militarily stronger and that is why Cambodia hopes for international mediation in the conflict
The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has flared up several times this year. In July, a series of incidents culminated in five days of intense fighting, leaving dozens dead and hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing their homes. Since then, both countries have repeatedly accused each other of violating agreements, including by laying landmines and deploying troops in the disputed border area.
At the end of October, American President Donald Trump proudly presented himself as the mediator of a peace agreement, but that did not last. Analysts then pointed out that the underlying territorial disputes and political interests had not been resolved.
The journalistic principles of NRC