menu_open Columnists
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Anwar Speaks to Leaders of Thailand, Cambodia as Border Conflict Rages

14 6
previous day

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says that he spoke yesterday to the leaders of both Thailand and Cambodia, as fighting between the two nations continued to intensify at numerous points along their disputed border.

In a post on X, Anwar, the outgoing chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said that during his call with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, he appreciated the “openness and willingness of both leaders to continue negotiations to ease tensions and avoid any misunderstandings that could exacerbate the situation.”

“While a definitive resolution has yet to be reached, sustained diplomatic engagement has ensured that no more serious incidents occurred during these critical hours,” he said. “Malaysia will continue to support peaceful dialogue, solutions grounded in international law, and strengthened regional cooperation to safeguard the stability and security of our shared region.”

However, the call has failed to head off sustained heavy fighting at various points along the 817-kilometer border between Thailand and Cambodia, which erupted following a firefight on Sunday that injured two Thai soldiers. The fighting shattered the joint peace declaration signed by the two nations on October 26, in a ceremony presided over by Anwar and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Yesterday, the Thai military continued to conduct airstrikes on what it claims were Cambodian military sites, while Cambodia responded with barrages of Soviet-designed BM-21 truck-mounted rockets. As of this morning, the Associated Press reported that the conflict “showed no signs of abating,” with “hundreds of thousands of........

© The Diplomat