Thai soldiers injured by landmine near Cambodia amid fragile ceasefire
Context:
Three Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine while patrolling the border with Cambodia, following a recent ceasefire agreement between the two nations. The incident occurred near Sisaket and Preah Vihear provinces, with one soldier losing a foot and the other two sustaining injuries. This marks the third landmine incident in the area within weeks, previously leading to downgraded diplomatic relations and violent clashes. The deadly border conflict from July 24-28 was the worst in over a decade, resulting in 43 fatalities and over 300,000 people displaced. Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain as Thailand accuses Cambodia of planting new landmines, a claim denied by Cambodia, citing old mines from past conflicts as the cause of recent injuries.
Dive Deeper:
Three Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine while patrolling the border with Cambodia, with one soldier losing a foot and two others sustaining injuries. The incident happened days after a ceasefire agreement was reached following a violent five-day conflict.
The location of the incident was between Thailand's Sisaket and Cambodia's Preah Vihear provinces. The Thai army reported that the soldiers are currently receiving medical treatment in a hospital.
This incident is the third landmine injury occurrence in the area within a few weeks, which previously led to downgraded diplomatic relations and five days of violent clashes between the two countries.
The deadly border clashes from July 24-28 involved exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter sorties, resulting in at least 43 deaths and displacing over 300,000 people from both sides of the border.
A fragile ceasefire has been holding since the two countries agreed to allow ASEAN observers to inspect the disputed border areas to prevent further hostilities.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of planting new landmines on their side of the disputed border, specifically citing incidents on July 16 and July 23. Cambodia, however, denies these allegations, attributing the injuries to older landmines from previous conflicts.
The ongoing tension highlights the challenges in maintaining peace and the importance of international observers in conflict-prone regions to ensure adherence to ceasefire agreements.