Cambodia has called on Thailand to return 20 of its soldiers who were taken captive by Thai forces hours after a ceasefire that halted days of deadly cross-border clashes over disputed territory between the Southeast Asian neighbors. The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Maly Socheata said on Thursday that talks were underway for the release of the soldiers, though reports from Thailand indicate that the Royal Thai Army wants the detainees to face the “legal process” before repatriation.
“We will do our best to continue negotiations with the Thai side in order to bring all our soldiers back home safely and as soon as possible,” the spokesperson told a news briefing. “We call on the Thai side to send all 20 military personnel back to Cambodia as soon as possible,” she added. According to reports, the group of Cambodian troops were captured at about 7:50am local time on Tuesday (00:50 GMT) after crossing into Thai-held territory – nearly eight hours after a ceasefire came into effect between the two countries.
Speaking to the media at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Army on Thursday, army spokesperson Major-General Winthai Suvaree said the commander of Thailand’s Second Army Region had assured that the Cambodian detainees – which numbered 18 – would be dealt with under international legal conditions. “The soldiers would be swiftly returned once the legal procedures are completed,” Thailand’s The Nation newspaper reported the army spokesperson as saying. The exact nature of the legal proceedings the Cambodian troops will face was not immediately known, but the Thai military’s “firm position suggests a comprehensive review of the incident is underway”.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has urged Bangkok and Phnom Penh to implement their ceasefire deal in full and take rapid steps to build confidence and peace with each other. “This crucial agreement must be fully respected, in good faith, by both sides, as diplomatic efforts continue, in a bid to resolve the root causes of the conflict,” Turk said. The ceasefire, which was facilitated by Malaysia, has held since Tuesday, despite accusations of truce violations by both sides.
Nearly 300,000 people fled their homes on both sides of the Thai-Cambodia border as the two opposing armies clashed for days with long-range rockets and artillery in what is largely a border area of jungle and agricultural land. Thai jet fighters also attacked Cambodian positions. Thailand has confirmed that 15 of its soldiers and 15 civilians were killed in the fighting – which was the heaviest in decades – while Cambodia said eight civilians and five of its soldiers died.
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to work on a ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump saying that both countries had committed to de-escalating the situation. Malaysia has also played a key role in facilitating the ceasefire talks between the two nations. As diplomatic efforts continue, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what the future holds for the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia.