Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire to end weeks of heavy fighting along their shared border that has killed more than 100 people and displaced over half a million civilians in both countries.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the defence ministers of the two countries said the ceasefire would take effect immediately after signing and that both sides would maintain current troop positions without further movement.
The truce, which came into force at noon local time, applies to all types of weapons and prohibits attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and military targets in all areas along the border.
Reporting from the Cambodian border city of Poipet, Al Jazeera’s Assed Baig said the guns had largely fallen silent, although intense firing was reported right up until the moment the ceasefire took effect, underscoring the fragility of the agreement.
The deal, signed by Thai Defence Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha, brings to an end 20 days of the worst fighting between the neighbours in years. Thailand also agreed to return 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during the clashes within 72 hours, provided the ceasefire holds.
Both sides pledged to avoid provocative actions, refrain from spreading false information and maintain open communication to prevent renewed escalation. Observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will monitor the implementation of the agreement.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn is scheduled to travel to Yunnan on Sunday for a trilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, aimed at rebuilding confidence and restoring stability along the border.
The conflict is rooted in long-running territorial disputes over ancient temple sites along the 800-kilometre frontier, shaped by colonial-era demarcations that have fuelled tensions for more than a century.
Source: Al-Jazeera