BANGKOK: A renewed ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia over border clashes passed the 72-hour mark on Tuesday (Dec 30), an initial goal the countries set to secure a more lasting peace, but Bangkok said it had delayed the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers due to alleged breaches of the deal.
The Southeast Asian neighbours agreed on a ceasefire that took effect at noon on Saturday, halting 20 days of fighting that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million on both sides, and included fighter-jet sorties, exchanges of rocket fire and artillery barrages.
The border clashes reignited early this month, following the breakdown in a ceasefire deal that US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helped broker to halt a previous round of conflict in July.
Under the agreement signed by the defence ministers of both countries on Saturday, Thailand said it would release the 18 Cambodian soldiers after the ceasefire held for 72 hours.
On Tuesday, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said the military had detected many drones from Cambodia on Sunday night, which it saw as a breach of the deal, and so had reconsidered the timing of the handover of the soldiers.
“The consideration of date and time of the release depends on the security side,” he said at a press conference, adding that the handover could “happen soon”.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-cambodia-ceasefire-holds-72-hours-prisoner-release-5769681
