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| Cambodian and Thai soldiers have been exchanging artillery shells along their disputed jungle frontier since April 22 (AFP) |
AFP
BANGKOK — Fighting appeared to subside on the Thai-Cambodian border on Sunday, allowing some evacuees to return home after more than a week of heavy clashes which left 17 people dead, officials said.
There were some clashes overnight Saturday-Sunday involving grenades and mortar fire, in which one Cambodian soldier died, but the front line has been quiet since then, Cambodian defence ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat told AFP.
The two neighbours have been exchanging artillery shells along their disputed jungle frontier in their bloodiest conflict in decades, forcing more than 85,000 civilians to flee on both sides.
As a tentative calm returned to the border area, some of the more than 37,000 Cambodian civilians displaced by the violence were starting to go home.
"Since the situation today is quiet, around 10 to 15 percent of the evacuees have returned home," Nhim Vanda, deputy president of Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management, told AFP.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva described the easing of tensions as "a positive sign".
He added: "We will monitor the situation for the next couple of days, before allowing people to return home."
The two countries have come under increasing international pressure to stop the violence, but an attempted truce announced on Thursday after local-level military negotiations proved short-lived.
Ties between the neighbours have been strained since the 900-year-old temple Preah Vihear was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the 900-year-old temple belonged to Cambodia, but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) surrounding area.
On Friday Cambodia said it had asked the World Court to clarify that ruling.
The most recent deadly clashes have been mainly centred around two temple complexes about 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of Preah Vihear.
Seven Thai troops and nine Cambodian soldiers have died since the fighting began on April 22, and Bangkok has said a Thai civilian was also killed.
The border clash came at a sensitive political time for Thailand, with Abhisit preparing to dissolve the lower house of parliament for elections he has said will be held by early July.
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