Cambodia Condemns Thailand's Aggression

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia has announced its strong condemnation of Thailand's armed aggression, which includes the use of combat aviation to carry out airstrikes on several provinces along the shared border.

The Ministry emphasized that this violates Cambodia's sovereignty and the UN Charter. "Such actions are violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, breaches of the UN Charter, and a disregard for both the ASEAN Charter and the spirit of the ASEAN community," the ministry stated, citing Khmer Times.

The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the use of F-16 fighter jets by Thailand represents a "patently disproportionate and unjustified" use of force within Cambodian territory.

According to the ministry, airstrikes carried out by the Thai military deep into Cambodian territory, approximately 80-90 km away, have resulted in civilian casualties, the displacement of more than 400,000 people, and widespread destruction.

These attacks have damaged and destroyed UNESCO World Heritage sites, including ancient temples and other culturally and religiously significant sites, as well as civilian infrastructures such as residential homes, schools, hospitals, hotels, casinos, administrative buildings, and bridges.

"Such actions constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and the international obligations to protect civilians and cultural values," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The ministry has called on the Thai armed forces to "immediately cease all bombings and any military operations that endanger civilians," respect international law, and prioritize the safety of civilians and civil infrastructure.

Clashes involving the use of firearms along the border between Thailand and Cambodia began on December 7. According to the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, this was triggered after days of provocations by the Thai armed forces in border areas aimed at inciting a new phase of confrontation, leading them to launch assaults on Cambodian positions.

The Royal Thai Army has stated that Cambodian forces were the first to commence shelling Thai positions in the border zone, while Thai military personnel, responding to this, attacked Cambodian military infrastructure in an effort to establish control over key areas and harm the opponent.