Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into deadly violence on Thursday as Thai fighter jets carried out airstrikes in retaliation for Cambodian rocket and artillery attacks that killed at least 11 civilians.
The escalation marks the most severe flare-up in years in the decades-long dispute over the Emerald Triangle, a border zone where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos meet, and which hosts several ancient temples.
Thai authorities confirmed that six F-16 fighter jets launched strikes on Cambodian military positions near the disputed Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province. The Thai military said the airstrikes were in direct response to Cambodian artillery fire that struck a petrol station in Sisaket province, killing several students.
Footage from the scene showed thick smoke pouring from the roof of a convenience store, with local officials saying most of the victims were schoolchildren seeking shelter from the afternoon heat.
Cambodian Defence Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata accused Thai troops of launching an “armed assault,” saying Cambodia had only responded in “legitimate self-defence.” Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council, describing Thailand’s actions as “unprovoked military aggression.”
Both countries continue to trade blame over who instigated the latest fighting.
