Thailand-Cambodia border fighting continues despite Trump’s ceasefire claim
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Fighting continued along the Thailand-Cambodia border on Saturday, hours after US President Donald Trump claimed he had secured a ceasefire between the two countries.
Thai officials said no ceasefire agreement had been reached, while Cambodia did not confirm Trump’s statement. Instead, Cambodia’s defence ministry accused Thailand of carrying out airstrikes on Saturday. Cambodian media reported Trump’s claim without additional details.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said some of Trump’s remarks reflected an inaccurate understanding of the situation. He said Thailand was disappointed, adding that the comments hurt public sentiment in a country that considers itself the United States’ oldest treaty ally in the region.
The latest escalation followed a December 7 skirmish that wounded two Thai soldiers and effectively collapsed a fragile truce. That ceasefire had ended five days of intense fighting in July over long-running territorial disputes along the border.
The July truce was brokered by Malaysia and backed by pressure from Trump, who had threatened to withdraw trade privileges unless both sides agreed. It was later formalised in October during a regional meeting in Malaysia attended by Trump.
At least two dozen people have been officially reported killed in the latest fighting, with hundreds of thousands displaced on both sides. The Thai military said 11 of its soldiers have been killed and estimated Cambodian military fatalities at 165. Cambodia has not released figures for its military losses but said at least 11 civilians were killed and 76 were injured.
On Friday, Trump said he had spoken to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, announcing that both had agreed to restart the ceasefire.
However, Anutin said earlier that day that he had explained Thailand’s reasons for continuing military action and that peace would depend on Cambodia halting its attacks first. Thailand’s foreign ministry later explicitly rejected Trump’s claim.
Hun Manet, in comments posted early Saturday, confirmed phone calls with Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim but did not mention any ceasefire agreement. He thanked both leaders for their peace efforts and said Cambodia was ready to cooperate.
Thailand says its airstrikes are limited to military targets, while Cambodia has fired thousands of unguided BM-21 rockets. The Thai army said one such rocket struck a civilian area in Sisaket province on Saturday, seriously injuring two civilians fleeing toward a bunker.