Massive displacement and escalation of fighting near the border between Cambodia and Thailand
About 500,000 people in Cambodia and Thailand fled to temples, schools and safe havens as the bloody battles continued on Wednesday against the backdrop of border tension between the two countries.
Officials announced the killing of five Thai soldiers and seven Cambodian civilians in the recent confrontations in which planes, tanks and drones were used, while the sounds of artillery continued near historic temples in the disputed areas.
Hundreds of families began leaving a shelter center near the town of Samraong after warnings that the area is no longer safe, in light of the flight of Thai military aircraft near the temple.
The Cambodian authorities confirmed that the evacuations are to protect civilians as the scope of the confrontations expands, while international calls are increasing to calm tensions.
The roots of the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand go back to the era of French colonialism, as the demarcation of the border extending for more than 800 kilometers has not been decided, especially around the ancient temples, making the area Vulnerable to renewed tensions and their transformation into armed confrontations from time to time.
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