Thai military destroys two Cambodian military targets via airstrike

Bangkok, Dec 13 (IANS) Thailand's 1st Army Area Command said in a social media post on Saturday that its subordinate troops, in coordination with the Royal Thai Air Force, launched airstrikes against two Cambodian military targets at 16:09 local time, successfully destroying Cambodia's weapons and ammunition depots as well as air defence and communication systems.

A Royal Thai Navy spokesperson stated on the same day that naval fleets had carried out a military operation in the Gulf of Thailand in the early hours of the morning. The operation aimed to degrade and contain Cambodia's military capabilities in the vicinity of Koh Kong Province and safeguard the lives and property of residents along the Gulf of Thailand coast.

Separately, at a press conference on the Thailand-Cambodia border situation held on Saturday, a spokesperson for Thailand's Ministry of Defense and a health official reported that the latest round of clashes between the two countries has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and more than 270 others wounded, Xinhua news agency reported.

As of Saturday morning, over 260,000 Thai civilians had taken shelter in refugee camps, with seven civilians confirmed dead.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Saturday that he has held separate telephone conversations with Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, calling on both sides to implement a ceasefire starting from 22:00 (1500 GMT) Saturday.

Via social media, Anwar stated that he conveyed Malaysia's deep concern over the current situation during the calls and urged both parties to immediately cease all forms of hostilities and refrain from any further military actions, including the use of force or the forward movement of armed units.

To de-escalate tensions and enhance transparency, Malaysia has requested the deployment of an ASEAN Observer Team, led by the Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces, to monitor the on-site situation. Findings from the monitoring will be submitted to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting scheduled for December 16.

Hun Manet said on his official social media account on the same day that Cambodia welcomes and supports the ceasefire initiative proposed by Anwar.

However, Anutin confirmed in a media interview on Saturday afternoon that there would be no ceasefire on Saturday night. He emphasized that Thailand must fully defend its national sovereignty and the safety of its people at present and does not need to follow orders from anyone.

The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict has reignited since December 7, causing casualties to both sides.

--IANS

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