Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to unconditionally cease all hostilities starting at 12:00 noon on July 28. The exchange of fire between Thailand and Cambodia began in mid-July following an injury to a Thai soldier near the border area. Thailand has accused Cambodia of planting landmines near the border, but Cambodia has denied these allegations.
The situation escalated, with armed forces from both sides engaging in exchanges of fire near the border. Both parties have been using heavy weaponry for attacks and conducting air strikes. This marks the most intense conflict between these two nations in the past 10 years, as they have long disputed ownership of the border area. The death toll from these attacks has risen to 36, with civilians making up the majority of casualties. Due to the ongoing conflict, over 300,000 people living near the border have been forced to evacuate to safer areas.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand, Malaysia took the initiative, with assistance from the United States and China, to mediate between the two parties. In the ensuing negotiations, leaders from Thailand and Cambodia agreed to cease hostilities and resume direct communication between the two countries. They have also reached an agreement on how to implement the ceasefire.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who played a key role in the negotiations, stated that Malaysia would appoint a special team to oversee the full implementation of the agreement. He described this as an important step towards restoring peace and security. Anwar also mentioned that all parties involved have agreed to work towards establishing peace.
