Cambodia Claims Mortar Attack on Thailand Was an Accident

Cambodia has assured Thailand that the mortar fire on its territory was accidental, according to the Thai military. This came hours after Thailand accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire, resulting in the injury of a soldier in a border area.

According to a statement from the Thai armed forces, the Cambodian side assured that there was no intention to open fire on Thailand and that the incident was caused by an operational error. Earlier, Thailand had accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire by firing mortar shells at the Chong Bok area. A soldier was injured by shrapnel.

The ceasefire had come into effect on December 27, ending three weeks of fighting that left 47 dead and displaced approximately one million civilians. Bangkok and Phnom Penh had pledged to freeze military positions and cooperate on demining operations.

The two Asian kingdoms have been in dispute for decades over their 800-kilometer border. They have accused each other of sparking the new fighting.