Civilians who fled clashes between neighboring Thailand and Cambodia started returning home today.
Thousands
of villagers had last week been forced to stay in temporary camps as
troops exchanged fire in jungle terrain that both the South East Asian
nations claim. Although the truce agreed on the 28th of April didn’t end
the fighting, it did reduce its intensity. Overall, 16 soldiers and one
civilian have been killed.
The
governor of Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia, Mr Pech Sokhen, told
how people have now returned to their homes due to the situation now
being calm and also of his hope that fighting between Thailand and his
own country will carry on decreasing over time. Thailand’s Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spoke to the media to confirm that people
were returning to rural villages but told how the military will be
monitoring the border closely and will remain very careful.
Although
the villagers have returned, the fighting hasn’t stopped completely.
One Cambodian commander explained at a press conference how Thai
shelling continued well into Sunday evening, while a commander from the
Thai military told that the two sides exchanged fire. Reports are saying
that any combat is now confined to smaller areas.
Ta
Moan and its counterpart Ta Krabey are the two temples being fought
over. They sit in a mountainous jungle area that both countries say
belongs to them. Last week, a third temple, namely Preah Vihear, was
brought into the equation and has become a flashpoint for the on-going
dispute.
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