At least eleven civilians were killed in a Cambodian rocket and artillery strike on Thursday, as its military clashed once again with Thailand over disputed territory. At least 14 other civilians were injured, including children.
Fighting erupted near two temples on the border between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. Both governments blame the other for triggering the fresh clash.
The two nations are locked in disagreement over the Emerald Triangle — an area where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, and home to several ancient temples. The neighboring countries have been arguing over where the border should be drawn for years.
What do we know about the Thai-Cambodia border conflict?
Thailand said the clashes began around 7:35 a.m. (0035 GMT).
A livestream video from Thailand's side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker as explosions sounded.
Following the initial clashes, Thailand's military deployed six F-16 fighter jets, as the dispute escalated. Thai forces said one of the F-16s had destroyed a Cambodian military target.
On the other side of the border, Cambodia's defense ministry said Thai fighter jets had dropped two bombs on a road.
Thailand has closed all its border crossings with Cambodia and its embassy in Phnom Penh urged Thai citizens to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible."
China has also warned its citizens in Cambodia to avoid the border region with Thailand.
How did the clashes break out?
The two sides have blamed each other for the violence.
The Thai military said the violence started when soldiers guarding the Ta Muen temple heard a Cambodian drone overhead. They said that Cambodian soldiers then approached the barbed wire in front of their post, with one soldier carrying a rocket-propelled grenade.
Thailand said its soldiers shouted to warn them, but Cambodian forces opened fire toward the eastern side of the temple, close to the Thai base.
The Thai military also accused Cambodian forces of "targeted attacks on civilians." They said two BM-21 rockets hit a community in Surin's Kap Choeng district, wounding three. The Thai prime minister's office also said a Cambodian shell hit a house near the border, killing one.
Meanwhile, Cambodia blamed Thailand for the "unprovoked military aggression" and said it condemned the "reckless and hostile" act in the "strongest possible terms."
"The Thai military violated the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia by launching an armed assault on Cambodian forces stationed to defend the nation's sovereign territory," Defense Ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said in a statement.
"In response, the Cambodian armed forces exercized their legitimate right to self-defense, in full accordance with international law, to repel the Thai incursion and protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The clashes came a day after Thailand recalled its ambassador from Cambodia and said it would expel his counterpart, after a second Thai soldier lost a limb to a landmine in a week. Bangkok alleged the landmines had recently been placed in the disputed region.
Cambodia seeks urgent UNSC meeting
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has requested the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) be convened for an urgent meeting.
"Considering the recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which have gravely threatened peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request you to convene an urgent meeting of the Security Council to stop Thailand's aggression," he wrote in a letter addressed to sitting UNSC president Asim Iftikhar Ahmad.
China's foreign ministry said it was deeply concerned about the ongoing clashes and would play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation.
