Post by : Meena Ariff

Cambodia has handed over soldiers who had been detained by Thailand following weeks of deadly border clashes, a move seen as an important step toward easing tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. The handover took place at a designated border checkpoint at around 10 am local time on Wednesday, after the soldiers had spent 155 days in Thai custody, according to a statement from Cambodia’s Defence Ministry.

The development comes shortly after a ceasefire agreement took effect at noon on Saturday, bringing an end to nearly 20 days of intense fighting along the disputed border. The clashes claimed at least 101 lives and forced more than half a million civilians on both sides to flee their homes. The violence marked one of the most serious escalations in recent years, involving fighter jet sorties, exchanges of rocket fire and sustained artillery bombardments.

The return of the soldiers had originally been scheduled for Tuesday. However, Thailand delayed the process, citing alleged breaches of the ceasefire agreement. Cambodian authorities firmly rejected these accusations, maintaining that they had fully complied with the terms of the ceasefire and remained committed to reducing tensions.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the detained soldiers were treated in accordance with international humanitarian law and established humanitarian principles throughout their period of detention.

The latest round of violence erupted earlier this month after the breakdown of a previous ceasefire agreement reached in July. That earlier truce had been facilitated through diplomatic efforts involving US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, aimed at preventing further escalation between the two countries.

With the soldiers now returned and the ceasefire in place, regional observers and international partners are closely monitoring the situation to see whether the calm will hold. Many hope the latest developments will pave the way for sustained dialogue and long-term stability along the contested border.

#Global News