 "People flee amid clashes between Thailand and Cambodia along a disputed border area, in Oddar Meanchey Province, Cambodia. Reuters")
At least half a million people have been displaced in Cambodia from their homes following the border clashes between Thailand, Phnom Penh’s interior ministry said Sunday.
“At present, more than half a million Cambodian people, including women and children, are suffering severe hardship due to forced displacement from their homes and schools to escape artillery shells, rockets, and aerial bombardments carried out by Thailand’s F-16 aircraft,” the interior ministry said in a statement, giving the total number of people displaced as 518,611 as quoted by AFP.
Around 400,000 people have been displaced in Thailand due to the reignited border conflict, Bangkok has said.
Territorial clash
The continuous attack of both South Asian neighbours this month with the use of tanks, drones and artillery, has resulted in the death of about 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, according to officials.
Thailand is also working out how to repatriate up to 6,000 citizens unable to return home through a major border crossing in Cambodia
The conflict stems from a territorial clash over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border over the ancient temple ruins located on the frontier.
Both the territories have blamed the other side for instigating and accused of attacking on the innocent civilians which killed dozens in July.
Peace efforts
Despite peace efforts, the conflict is continuously escalating and leading to tensions in Southeast Asia.
China, the European Union, the United States, the ASEAN regional bloc chair Malaysia and the United Nations have all called for a ceasefire.
Foreign ministers of ASEAN nations, including Cambodia and Thailand, are set to meet on Monday in Kuala Lumpur where they will discuss the conflict and neutralise tensions between the two territories.