Cambodian Death Toll in Thai Clashes Rises to 13: Defence Ministry

The death toll in Cambodia resulting from the recent border clashes with Thailand has risen to 13, according to a statement released on Saturday by Phnom Penh’s Ministry of Defence. The violent confrontation, which ignited on Thursday, centres on a long-standing territorial dispute between the two neighbouring Southeast Asian nations.

Breakdown of Casualties

In addition to the fatalities, the conflict has caused a mass displacement of civilians, with more than 35,000 people forced to flee their homes to seek safety.

Maly Socheata, a spokeswoman for the Cambodian defence ministry, confirmed the figures, stressing the toll the escalation has taken on both military personnel and non-combatants.

The clashes, marked by intense and sustained fighting, have once again brought into focus the fragility of peace along the contested stretch of the Thai-Cambodian border, an area that has seen multiple flare-ups over the past decades due to unresolved territorial claims.

Efforts for de-escalation and renewed diplomatic negotiations are expected to follow in the coming days as international observers raise concerns over the humanitarian implications of the ongoing hostilities.