Khaleej Times
(AFP)
3 April 2009
PHNOM PENH - Cambodian and Thai troops fought heavy gunbattles along their disputed border on Friday, leaving three soldiers dead in a major flare-up of a long-running feud over an ancient temple.
Soldiers traded rocket, machinegun and mortar fire near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on the frontier, following a brief exchange of shots earlier in the day, officials from both sides said.
The same area was the scene of several clashes last year after Cambodia successfully applied for United Nations world heritage status for the ruins in July, with four soldiers killed in a battle there in October.
‘We are fighting with each other, it is serious gunfire. Two of our soldiers have been killed,’ Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said. ‘The gunfire is continuing in at least two areas,’ he added.
One Thai soldier was also killed, Seni Chittakasem, the governor of Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province, told AFP. Hospital officials said the dead man was shot in the chest and that 10 others were wounded, two of them critically.
Military commanders later held talks to ease tensions near the flashpoint temple, ownership of which was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court of Justice, although the land around the ruins remains disputed.
But a war of words continued between the two sides after the clash, coming just one week before the prime ministers of the neighbouring countries are due to meet at a key regional summit in Thailand.
‘This is an intended aggressive invasion by the Thai military,’ said Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong. ‘The foreign ministry will... write a protest letter about the invasion by Thailand.’
Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was ready to call his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen about the matter but defended Bangkok’s rights to ‘preserve our sovereignty.’
‘It was likely caused by a misunderstanding or accident. I have asked every agency to work to solve the incident by creating a better understanding with Cambodia,’ Abhisit said on his return from the G20 summit in London.
Cambodian and Thai authorities confirmed heavy gunfire had broken out at 2:00 pm (0700 GMT) in a number of spots near the border, which has never been fully demarcated due to landmines left after decades of war in Cambodia.
Several officials said the fighting had ended between half and hour and an hour later.
A Cambodian soldier posted at the border, Yeim Kheang, told AFP by telephone that a Cambodian market at the gateway to the temple had been badly burned during the fighting.
‘We used heavy weapons including rockets, machineguns and mortars. In general, we used every weapon given to us. Many Thai soldiers ran away, leaving their weapons behind during the fight,’ Yeim Kheang said.
Tensions had been high since an exchange of shots early in the morning after Cambodian soldiers went to investigate the area where a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine on Thursday and lost his leg.
Both sides blamed each other for the first clash.
The clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand that it would face fighting if its troops crossed their disputed frontier. Thailand denies claims that about 100 of its troops went over the frontier a week ago.
Tensions first flared along the border in July last year over the granting of UN heritage to the temple on the border.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute and Thailand’s foreign minister was forced to apologise Thursday, after being accused by Hun Sen of calling him a gangster.
Further talks are due on Monday and Tuesday in Phnom Penh and there was no immediate indication that they would be cancelled due to the clash.
Hun Sen and Abhisit are scheduled to take part in a summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key regional partners in the Thai resort of Pattaya, starting on April 10.
(AFP)
3 April 2009
PHNOM PENH - Cambodian and Thai troops fought heavy gunbattles along their disputed border on Friday, leaving three soldiers dead in a major flare-up of a long-running feud over an ancient temple.
Soldiers traded rocket, machinegun and mortar fire near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on the frontier, following a brief exchange of shots earlier in the day, officials from both sides said.
The same area was the scene of several clashes last year after Cambodia successfully applied for United Nations world heritage status for the ruins in July, with four soldiers killed in a battle there in October.
‘We are fighting with each other, it is serious gunfire. Two of our soldiers have been killed,’ Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said. ‘The gunfire is continuing in at least two areas,’ he added.
One Thai soldier was also killed, Seni Chittakasem, the governor of Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province, told AFP. Hospital officials said the dead man was shot in the chest and that 10 others were wounded, two of them critically.
Military commanders later held talks to ease tensions near the flashpoint temple, ownership of which was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court of Justice, although the land around the ruins remains disputed.
But a war of words continued between the two sides after the clash, coming just one week before the prime ministers of the neighbouring countries are due to meet at a key regional summit in Thailand.
‘This is an intended aggressive invasion by the Thai military,’ said Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong. ‘The foreign ministry will... write a protest letter about the invasion by Thailand.’
Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was ready to call his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen about the matter but defended Bangkok’s rights to ‘preserve our sovereignty.’
‘It was likely caused by a misunderstanding or accident. I have asked every agency to work to solve the incident by creating a better understanding with Cambodia,’ Abhisit said on his return from the G20 summit in London.
Cambodian and Thai authorities confirmed heavy gunfire had broken out at 2:00 pm (0700 GMT) in a number of spots near the border, which has never been fully demarcated due to landmines left after decades of war in Cambodia.
Several officials said the fighting had ended between half and hour and an hour later.
A Cambodian soldier posted at the border, Yeim Kheang, told AFP by telephone that a Cambodian market at the gateway to the temple had been badly burned during the fighting.
‘We used heavy weapons including rockets, machineguns and mortars. In general, we used every weapon given to us. Many Thai soldiers ran away, leaving their weapons behind during the fight,’ Yeim Kheang said.
Tensions had been high since an exchange of shots early in the morning after Cambodian soldiers went to investigate the area where a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine on Thursday and lost his leg.
Both sides blamed each other for the first clash.
The clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand that it would face fighting if its troops crossed their disputed frontier. Thailand denies claims that about 100 of its troops went over the frontier a week ago.
Tensions first flared along the border in July last year over the granting of UN heritage to the temple on the border.
Subsequent talks between Cambodia and Thailand have not resolved the dispute and Thailand’s foreign minister was forced to apologise Thursday, after being accused by Hun Sen of calling him a gangster.
Further talks are due on Monday and Tuesday in Phnom Penh and there was no immediate indication that they would be cancelled due to the clash.
Hun Sen and Abhisit are scheduled to take part in a summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key regional partners in the Thai resort of Pattaya, starting on April 10.
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