Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers on Wednesday following a renewed ceasefire agreement between the two countries, easing tensions after weeks of deadly border clashes, officials from both sides confirmed.
Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami Open to Unity Government Ahead of February Elections
The Southeast Asian neighbours agreed to halt fighting at noon on Saturday, ending nearly 20 days of intense clashes that left at least 101 people dead and displaced more than half a million civilians on both sides of the border. The fighting involved fighter jet sorties, artillery shelling and exchanges of rocket fire.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said the soldiers were handed over at a border checkpoint at around 10:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, after spending 155 days in Thai custody. Battambang Province Governor Sok Lou described the returning troops as “heroic soldiers.”
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry stated that the detained soldiers had been treated “in accordance with international humanitarian law and principles” throughout their detention.
The clashes had flared up again earlier this month after a previous ceasefire, brokered by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, collapsed.
Under the terms of Saturday’s renewed agreement, Thailand committed to releasing the 18 soldiers if the ceasefire held for 72 hours. The handover was delayed by one day after Thailand alleged ceasefire violations by Cambodia, a claim Phnom Penh strongly denied.
Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which supervised the transfer, said the release was a significant step forward.
“Today’s release and repatriation of prisoners of war allows families to be reunited and marks an important step in translating the commitments outlined in the joint statement into action,” she said.
