Thailand, Cambodia sign ceasefire to halt border clashes

AP :

Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday signed a new ceasefire agreement to end weeks of armed clashes along their disputed border, with the truce taking effect at noon local time.

Under the agreement, both sides committed to immediately stop fighting, avoid further military movements, and refrain from violating each other’s airspace for military purposes.

During the recent fighting, Thailand carried out airstrikes on Cambodian targets, including attacks reported earlier Saturday, according to Cambodia’s defense ministry.

The deal also states that Thailand will repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers it has held since clashes in July, once the ceasefire holds for 72 hours. Their release had been a key demand from Cambodia.

The agreement was signed by Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit at a border checkpoint. It followed three days of talks by military officials under the framework of the General Border Committee.

The document reaffirms commitments made under a July ceasefire that ended five days of fighting and includes 16 measures aimed at de-escalation. That earlier truce was brokered by Malaysia following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and later formalized in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia.