Fighting resumes at disputed border

Saturday, April 23, 2011
UKPA

Fighting between troops from Cambodia and Thailand has broken out for the second straight day, a day after at least six soldiers were killed and thousands of civilians were forced to evacuate the battle zone.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said fighting resumed at the same three locations where troops from both countries battled for several hours on Friday with artillery and small arms.

Wachira Kitphan, an official in Thailand's Phanom Dong Rak district, said both sides engaged in an artillery duel.

The fighting springs from decades-old competing claims over small swaths of land along the border, with nationalistic politics fuelling tensions.

Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Cambodia's 11th century Preah Vihear temple on the border was given UN World Heritage status over Thai objections.

Friday's combat was the first reported since four days of fighting in February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the Preah Vihear temple, about 100 miles east of the new flare-up.

Cambodian officials said that in addition to skirmishes near the ancient temples of Ta Krabey and Ta Moan and a third point, artillery fell on villages and other areas as far as 13 miles inside its territory.

Each side blamed the other for the resumption of fighting.

Thai army spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Siriya Khuangsirikul said three Thai soldiers were killed and 13 were wounded, one critically. Cambodian defence spokesman Lieutenant General Chhum Socheat said three Cambodian soldiers were killed and six wounded.

Cambodia's Bayon TV, which has close links to the government, showed footage of damaged houses and civilians being evacuated by farm vehicles to schools and Buddhist pagodas 30 miles from the front lines.