Thailand launches air strikes along border with Cambodia

An injured Thai soldier being transferred to a hospital after a clash between Thaiand Cambodian troops over the border dispute at Si Sa Ket province, Thailand. 

THAILAND launched air strikes along the disputed border with Cambodia on Monday as both sides accused the other of breaking a ceasefire that halted fighting earlier this year. Long standing border disputes erupted into five days of combat inJuly that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians.US President Donald Trump pushed the South-east Asian neighbours to sign a truce agreement in October, but tensions have continued to simmer. TheThai Ministry of Defence said that more than 35,000 people have left are as near the border for shelter sand more are believed to have fled to stay with relatives else where, while Cambodia’s Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said that residents of several villages near the border have been evacuated. Fighting follows exchange of fire on Sunday The ceasefire was strained in early November after Thai troops were injured by landmines,leading Thailand to announce that it would indefinitely suspend implementation of the agree ment. Both sides continue to trade accusations over responsibility, even as the yares up posed to be cooperating in getting rid of the mines. Trump said in mid-November that he’d intervened to preserve the ceasefire as tensions simmered between the two countries. But another brief episode of fighting took place along the border Sunday, after which both sides said the other fired first.The Thai army said Cambodian fire injured two Thai soldier sand Thai troops retaliated, resulting in an exchange of fire that lasted around 20 minutes. Cambodia said that theThai side fired first and that its own troops did not retaliate. On Monday, Thai Army spokes person Maj.Gen.Win thai Suvaree said the Cambodian troops fired first into Thai territory in multiple areas.He said one Thai soldier was killed and four other soldiers were wounded, and civilians were being evacuated from the affected areas.