Post by : Meena Ariff

Thailand has officially released 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been held in custody since July. This release comes as part of a renewed ceasefire agreement reached between Thailand and Cambodia, aimed at ending the recent border conflict between the two neighboring countries. The ceasefire, which went into effect at noon on Saturday, effectively halted nearly three weeks of intense fighting that had resulted in at least 101 fatalities and forced more than half a million people from both sides to flee their homes.

The detained soldiers had been held for a total of 155 days before being returned to Cambodian authorities at a border checkpoint on Wednesday morning. The initial plan was to hand over the soldiers on Tuesday, but the process was delayed by Thailand due to allegations that Cambodia had breached certain terms of the ceasefire agreement. Cambodia, however, firmly denied any such violations.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that throughout their detention, the Cambodian soldiers were treated humanely and in full compliance with international humanitarian laws and principles. This assurance aims to address any concerns regarding the treatment of the prisoners during their time in Thai custody.

The border clashes that reignited this month followed the collapse of an earlier ceasefire deal. That previous agreement had been brokered in July with the involvement of international leaders, including the United States and Malaysia, who worked to bring a halt to the violence. Despite those efforts, tensions escalated again, leading to renewed fighting marked by exchanges of artillery fire, rocket attacks, and even fighter jet sorties.

The recent ceasefire agreement signals a hopeful step toward restoring peace along the border, seeking to prevent further casualties and displacement of civilians. Both Thailand and Cambodia appear committed to maintaining this new truce and working toward a lasting resolution of their border disputes.

#Global News #Thailand News