File photo shows Cambodian soldiers walking at the Preah Vihear temple. Troops were on alert at the disputed Cambodian-Thai border Saturday, after heavy gunbattles left at least two soldiers dead a day earlier, Cambodian officials said.Photo:Tang Chhin Sothy/AFPSat Apr 4
PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia (AFP) - Troops on both sides of the Cambodian-Thai border were on alert Saturday after gunbattles near a disputed temple left at least two soldiers dead, a Cambodian official said.
The mood was tense after Friday's firefight, which was the biggest flare-up for months in a bitter feud over territory near the ancient temple.
"The situation at the border is quiet now and back to normal," a Cambodian commander named Yem Pem said, adding that troops were on "24-hour alert."
Soldiers exchanged rocket, machinegun and mortar fire Friday, damaging the staircase of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, following a brief skirmish earlier in the day, officials said.
Cambodia's foreign ministry said a local government office was damaged, and hundreds of Cambodians, who lost their homes and local market in the fighting, were evacuated to a school 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.
"We were so frightened because the situation was so tense," said Chum Vanna, 27, who was evacuated with her husband and children.
"I'm very angry with the Thai soldiers. All of my belongings were completely burned. We came here with just a few clothes," she added.
The area saw several clashes last year after Cambodia successfully applied for United Nations world heritage status for the temple ruins in July.
Four soldiers were killed in a firefight in October.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sought to downplay the latest incident during a Saturday speech to handicapped veterans and villagers in the southern province of Kampot.
"It is normal that every side has the right to self-defence. If they come, it happens. And as we enter their territory they also have the right to fire at us," Hun Sen told the crowd.
"But we consider this (clash) an incident. I don't call it a war... We are very sorry. We don't want Cambodian or Thai soldiers to die," he added.
One Thai soldier was killed at the site of the clash on Friday and another died in hospital later, while 10 others were injured, said the Thai military. Cambodian officials reported no casualties.
A Thai military official said nine soldiers were still being treated in two hospitals in the northeastern Thai city of Ubon Ratchathani, with two of them in critical condition.
Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon would visit the injured later Saturday, she added.
The clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand not to allow its troops to cross into disputed land. Bangkok denies claims that 100 went over the frontier a week ago.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the site of decades but tensions spilled over into violence last July when the temple was granted UN heritage status.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the ruins belonged to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance is in Thailand, and some of the disputed land is yet to be demarcated.
Talks between Cambodia and Thailand have failed to resolve the dispute and further discussions are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen and Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva are due to join a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and key regional partners in Thailand from Friday.
Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the clashes would not affect talks and that plans remained the same, including for the summit.
Singapore, meanwhile, urged both sides to "exercise utmost restraint in the broader interests of the region."
PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia (AFP) - Troops on both sides of the Cambodian-Thai border were on alert Saturday after gunbattles near a disputed temple left at least two soldiers dead, a Cambodian official said.
The mood was tense after Friday's firefight, which was the biggest flare-up for months in a bitter feud over territory near the ancient temple.
"The situation at the border is quiet now and back to normal," a Cambodian commander named Yem Pem said, adding that troops were on "24-hour alert."
Soldiers exchanged rocket, machinegun and mortar fire Friday, damaging the staircase of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, following a brief skirmish earlier in the day, officials said.
Cambodia's foreign ministry said a local government office was damaged, and hundreds of Cambodians, who lost their homes and local market in the fighting, were evacuated to a school 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.
"We were so frightened because the situation was so tense," said Chum Vanna, 27, who was evacuated with her husband and children.
"I'm very angry with the Thai soldiers. All of my belongings were completely burned. We came here with just a few clothes," she added.
The area saw several clashes last year after Cambodia successfully applied for United Nations world heritage status for the temple ruins in July.
Four soldiers were killed in a firefight in October.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sought to downplay the latest incident during a Saturday speech to handicapped veterans and villagers in the southern province of Kampot.
"It is normal that every side has the right to self-defence. If they come, it happens. And as we enter their territory they also have the right to fire at us," Hun Sen told the crowd.
"But we consider this (clash) an incident. I don't call it a war... We are very sorry. We don't want Cambodian or Thai soldiers to die," he added.
One Thai soldier was killed at the site of the clash on Friday and another died in hospital later, while 10 others were injured, said the Thai military. Cambodian officials reported no casualties.
A Thai military official said nine soldiers were still being treated in two hospitals in the northeastern Thai city of Ubon Ratchathani, with two of them in critical condition.
Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon would visit the injured later Saturday, she added.
The clashes came three days after Hun Sen warned Thailand not to allow its troops to cross into disputed land. Bangkok denies claims that 100 went over the frontier a week ago.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the site of decades but tensions spilled over into violence last July when the temple was granted UN heritage status.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the ruins belonged to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance is in Thailand, and some of the disputed land is yet to be demarcated.
Talks between Cambodia and Thailand have failed to resolve the dispute and further discussions are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen and Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva are due to join a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations and key regional partners in Thailand from Friday.
Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the clashes would not affect talks and that plans remained the same, including for the summit.
Singapore, meanwhile, urged both sides to "exercise utmost restraint in the broader interests of the region."
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