April 26, 2011
Xinhua
One Cambodian soldier was killed and one police was injured in the fourth day of armed clashes on Monday with the Thai troops over the disputed border area in Oddar Meanchey province, said the statement from Cambodian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday.
With this reported casualty, it brings the total number of Cambodian soldiers to be killed to 7 and injured to 17.
While, on the Thai side, 5 soldiers were killed and other 17 were injured, according to the report from Bangkok.
Cambodian and Thai troops had exchanged gunfire for four days since April 22 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province.
The fighting has not only cost lives, damaged to the temples, but also forced tens of thousands of civilians of both countries flee for safe shelters.
Cambodia accused Thailand of attempting to attack and capture the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple.
Suos Sothea, deputy commander of the artillery unit, told Xinhua by telephone on Tuesday morning that the situation at the border area today was silent, no sound of gunfire.
"It's silent, but remains quite tense, renewed fighting can happen anytime," he said by telephone from the battle fields. " After the four day fighting, Cambodian troops have maintained all bases, not lost to Thai invasion."
The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated. Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. But Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.
Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand had a border conflict, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.
0 comments:
Post a Comment