Clashes Erupt Along Thai-Cambodia Border, Leaving Dozens Dead and Soldiers Wounded

Clashes Erupt  Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia – The distant echoes of artillery fire could still be heard near the Thai-Cambodian border as injured Cambodian soldiers awaited treatment following deadly clashes with Thai troops.

One Cambodian soldier, lying in a hospital corridor in the northern province of Oddar Meanchey, recounted how he was wounded near the ancient Ta Moan Thom temple, a site at the heart of the disputed border with Thailand’s Surin province.

“I have shrapnel lodged in my back, and I still haven’t had surgery,” the soldier told Al Jazeera. “They first brought me to the military hospital, but they didn’t have an X-ray machine.” Lying on a stretcher with his wife and son by his side, he recalled the force of the blast. “When I was hit, my clothes were blown off.”

Another wounded soldier described being hit in the shoulder by shrapnel during fighting near Ta Krabei temple, another long-contested site along the border.

Escalating Tensions Over Ancient Temples

According to Cambodian military sources, government forces have regained control of areas surrounding Ta Moan Thom, Ta Krabei, and six additional contested locations since clashes erupted on Thursday. However, those claims have not been independently verified.

The recent violence is the latest chapter in a long-standing territorial dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbors, which share a border stretching more than 800 kilometers (500 miles). Ancient temple sites—many of which lie in ambiguous or poorly demarcated zones—have frequently been at the center of these tensions.

The Ta Moan and Ta Krabei temples, like the better-known Preah Vihear temple further east, are revered historical and religious sites that both nations claim. The last major border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia occurred in 2011 near Preah Vihear, a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to Cambodia but surrounded by contested land.

Civilian Casualties Mount

As of Saturday afternoon, over 30 people have been confirmed dead on both sides, the majority of them civilians. The full extent of injuries remains unclear, as fighting has disrupted access to some affected areas.

International observers have urged restraint and called for diplomatic dialogue to prevent further escalation. Meanwhile, families of the wounded and displaced civilians continue to bear the brunt of the renewed hostilities.