The Phnom Penh Post Staff
Cambodian and Thai soldiers exchanged artillery and small arms fire near the Preah Vihear temple complex along a disputed stretch of their shared border on Friday, Cambodian and Thai military sources said on Friday.
The fighting began just after 3pm and remained ongoing as of early Friday evening, according to a Cambodian soldier stationed in the area, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
A Thai regional commander in the area, Lieutenant General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, said there was “sporadic shelling but details are very sketchy at this point”.
Cambodian police told Reuters that two Cambodia soldiers were killed and two others injured in the clashes, the latest deaths in the area since a Thai soldier was shot and killed on January 31 last year.
Thai army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said late Friday that five Thai soldiers had been captured by Cambodian forces, while Thai media reports said three our four Thai soldiers had also been injured.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters at Siem Reap airport prior to his departure for Phnom Penh that the Cambodian government would file a formal complaint against Thailand with the United Nations.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Friday afternoon that Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart, Kasit Piromya, attended a meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation this morning in Siem Reap, but that recent tensions along the border were not discussed.
“We are always prepared to protect our sovereignty. Shooting is just for self-defense and the protection of our land,” he said.
The hostilities follow the sentencing Tuesday of Veera Somkwamkid, a well-known activist within Thailand’s nationalist Yellow Shirt movement, and his associate, Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, to eight- and six-year prison terms respectively.
Veera and Ratree were convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of espionage, illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base after being arrested in Banteay Meanchey province last month.
The fighting also comes amid a public spat with Thai Prime Minister Ahbisit Vejjajiva over the placement of Cambodian flags at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvara, a pagoda adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple.
Yim Phim, commander of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Brigage 43 in Preah Vihear, said yesterday that troops on both sides of the border had received reinforcements and additional equipment this week.
Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman Phay Siphan and Srey Doek, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Military Division 3 at the border were unavailable for comment on Friday.
Periodic skirmishes between Cambodian and Thai border forces have killed at least seven soldiers since 2008.
Additional reporting by Reuters
4 comments:
Will Hor Namhong bring this fresh Preah Vihear biggest armed clash between Khmer and Thai nearly 3 years to UN security council to solve this chronic conflict by peacefull mean, No.
Why?
Because, Hor Namhong or Hun Sen the so-called government will never do that even they know that Khmer will win this Preah Vihear case.
Because yuon behind Hun Sen has been afraid of showing the world that Khmer land has lost a lot to yuon than to Thai.
So Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 sq mi)only on paper in reality a lot lost to yuon and Thai.
So Hor Namhong said yesterday ( Friday 05 January 2011 ) that he will rise this Friday 05 January armed conflict to UN or international court of justice.
In other word yuon and Indochina Federation has been all behind all of these the past , the present and the future of Khmer isssue.
All Khmer wake up and act now and quickly before it is too late like Champa, Lao and last but not lease is Kampuchea-Krom.
it was an act of war, don't release those captured siem soldiers, take them to phnom penh and put them in prey sar hilton, etc!
take them to military court ruling in cambodia! that a smart, clever, wise way for cambodia!
Thais destroyed Preah Vihear Temple. Form now on all Thais citizen will not allow to visit the temple forever.
Post a Comment