Cambodia accuses Thailand of ‘ruthless’ air strikes as border peace talks continue

Cambodia has accused Thailand of carrying out “ruthless” aerial attacks, even as officials from both countries hold fresh talks aimed at easing their long-running border dispute.

Cambodia’s defence ministry said Thai fighter jets dropped dozens of bombs near the northwestern village of Chouk Chey early on Friday, causing “extensive destruction to civilians’ homes, properties and public infrastructure”, according to the state-run news agency.

Strikes reported amid ongoing negotiations

The accusations come as Cambodian and Thai officials attend a multi-day meeting to negotiate an end to renewed fighting along their disputed border. The conflict, which reignited earlier this month, has broken a previous truce and killed more than 40 people, according to official figures, while displacing around one million residents.

Talks entered a third day on Friday at a border checkpoint, with defence ministers from both countries scheduled to meet on Saturday.

Details of the alleged attacks

In a statement, Cambodia’s defence ministry said that between 6.08 am and 7.15 am, Thai forces deployed F-16 fighter jets and dropped up to 40 bombs in the Chouk Chey area of Banteay Meanchey province.

Later in the morning, Thai forces also launched artillery strikes in the Stung Bot area near the border, Cambodia’s Agence Kampuchea Presse reported.

The ministry condemned the attacks as “grave acts of aggression” that deliberately endangered “civilian lives and civilian infrastructure”, describing the strikes in Chouk Chey as “exceptionally ruthless and inhumane”.

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Ceasefire collapse and rising toll

The latest violence follows renewed clashes that began on December 8, derailing an expanded ceasefire brokered by the US and Malaysia in October. Fighting this month has killed at least 96 people on both sides, authorities said, and forced about one million people to flee their homes.

Defence officials from Thailand and Cambodia held their first talks since the clashes resumed on Wednesday, but no major diplomatic breakthrough was reported.

Efforts to restore truce

Cambodia’s defence ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said further discussions under a bilateral border committee were planned for Friday, according to the Anadolu news agency.

She said the aim of the talks was to restore a ceasefire, stabilise the region and allow displaced civilians to return home.

International concern and mediation calls

The dispute stems from competing claims over the colonial-era demarcation of the two countries’ 800-kilometre border and several ancient temple sites along the frontier. Both sides have accused each other of provoking the latest fighting and targeting civilians.

The US has expressed concern over the escalation and offered to help mediate. In a call with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump supported peace efforts and stressed the need to fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, according to the US State Department.

Russia has also urged Thailand and Cambodia to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.