Cambodia envoy to UN: Cambodia seeks immediate ceasefire with Thailand
Cambodia urges an immediate, unconditional ceasefire following deadly clashes with Thailand along their disputed border.
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Cambodians sit on a cart of a tractor as they take refuge in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Cambodia has called for an "immediate ceasefire" with Thailand after two days of deadly military exchanges along their disputed border. The plea was made by Cambodia's envoy to the United Nations during a closed-door meeting of the Security Council on Friday.
The long-standing Thailand-Cambodia border conflict escalated dramatically on Thursday, involving the use of jets, artillery, tanks, and ground troops. In response to the violence, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Friday to address the crisis.
"Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute," stated Chhea Keo, Cambodia's ambassador to the UN, following the session attended by both Cambodian and Thai representatives.
Keo also questioned how Thailand, a regional military power, could accuse Cambodia, a smaller neighbor, of launching attacks.
"(The Security Council) called for both parties to (show) maximum restraint and resort to a diplomatic solution. That is what we are calling for as well," he added.
Civilian casualties and mass evacuations
Thailand's Health Ministry reported on Friday that over 138,000 people have been evacuated from its border areas amid the hostilities. The clashes have resulted in 15 fatalities, including 14 civilians and one soldier, with an additional 46 individuals wounded, 15 of whom are troops.
The current fighting highlights the fragility of the situation at the border, which spans approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles). The dispute, rooted in historical territorial disagreements, has periodically flared into violence, threatening the stability of the region and drawing international concern.