Thailand condemned Cambodia on Thursday, July 24th, as “inhumane, brutal, and war-hungry,” accusing it of targeting homes and civilian infrastructure with artillery in clashes over a disputed border.
Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub called on the international community to condemn Cambodia for its artillery barrage, which has killed at least one person and wounded several more.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday requested the UN Security Council convene an “urgent meeting” as the country traded cross-border fire with Thailand.
“Considering the recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which have gravely threatened peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request you to convene an urgent meeting of the Security Council to stop Thailand’s aggression,” Hun Manet said.
Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing a civilian, in a dramatic escalation of a long-running border row between the two neighbours.
The neighbours are locked in a bitter spat over an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of both countries and Laos meet, and which is home to several ancient temples.
The squabble has dragged on for decades, flaring into bloody military clashes more than 15 years ago and again in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight.
The conflict blazed up on Thursday. Both sides blamed the other for starting the fighting.
