WASHINGTON/BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH - US President Donald Trump said Friday on social media that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to cease all shooting effective Friday evening.
"I had a very good conversation this morning with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, concerning the very unfortunate reawakening of their long-running War," Trump said on Truth Social, adding that both countries are ready for peace.
Trump said Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to go back to the original peace accord he brokered earlier this year with the help of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Following armed clashes in late July, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict reignited on Sunday afternoon. Both sides accused each other of initiating the attack and confirmed casualties.
Anutin told the press on Friday evening at the Government House that when briefing Trump on the border situation during the call, he said Cambodia was the first to violate the joint peace declaration by failing to withdraw its troops as agreed, which had resulted in casualties and property losses on the Thai side.
Stressing that Thailand consequently launched countermeasures to safeguard the lives and property of its people, he said for a new ceasefire to be reached, Cambodia must first pull back its forces and clear landmines along the border.
Meanwhile, Hun Manet said he had a phone conversation with Anwar on Thursday, and a phone call with Trump on Friday.
"Cambodia has always been adhering to peaceful means for dispute resolutions, in accordance with the KL Joint Declaration," he said.
He suggested to both leaders that the militaries or agencies of the United States and Malaysia can use their information-gathering capabilities such as satellite imagery recorded during that time, as well as for the next 24 hours after that, to verify which side opened fire first.
Thailand continues airstrikes
On Saturday morning, the Thai military forces used two F-16 fighter jets to drop bombs at some locations in Cambodia's Pursat province, the Cambodian Defense Ministry said in a press release.
At 5:50 am and 5:55 am, the Thai forces dropped two bombs to destroy a hotel building in Tmor Da area, according to the press release.
At 6:02 am and 6:07 am, the Thai forces dropped two bombs to destroy Chei Chomnas bridge, it said, adding that at 6:12 am, the Thai forces dropped one more bomb to destroy Chei Chomnas bridge (Old Bridge).
"Thai forces have not stopped the bombing yet," the press release said.
There's no response from the Thai side yet.
More than 300,000 Cambodians evacuated
As of Friday afternoon local time, the number of Cambodian evacuees from the border fighting has risen to more than 300,000, the Cambodian Ministry of Interior said in a press release.
Nearly 90,000 families with over 300,000 people had fled their homes near the Thai border for safe shelters, according to the press release.
Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said Thursday that the latest border clashes with Cambodia have left nine Thai soldiers dead, more than 120 people injured, and nearly 200,000 Thai civilians displaced.
READ MORE: Thailand says border clashes with Cambodia displace over 400,000 Thai residents
Following armed clashes in late July, the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict reignited on Sunday afternoon. Both sides accused each other of initiating the attack and confirmed casualties. At least 10 Cambodian civilians and 11 Thai soldiers were killed, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.
Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces erupted on July 24 along their border, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Both sides accused each other of violating international law.
A consensus was reached on Aug 7 on the details of a ceasefire, with both sides signing an agreement at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
On Oct 26, the two leaders signed a joint declaration on peace on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in the Malaysian capital.
