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Amid ongoing diplomatic talks to quell hostilities, Thailand executed air strikes on a disputed border area with Cambodia on Friday, leading to conflicting accounts from both sides. While the Thai Air Force asserted it targeted a Cambodian "fortified military position" after ensuring civilian evacuation, Cambodia's defence ministry strongly condemned the action, alleging "indiscriminate attacks" on civilian homes that left several people injured.
Fighting broke out again earlier this month after a fragile ceasefire in July halted five days of intense border clashes. At least 41 people have been killed and almost one million displaced since the hostilities resumed. Both countries have blamed each other for the breakdown of the truce.
Since then, fighting has spread to nearly every province along the 500-mile border.
Cambodia's defence ministry said Friday's attacks were in the north-western Banteay Meanchey province. Up to 40 bombs were dropped by F-16 fighter jets, the ministry said in a Facebook post.
Thailand said the action was aimed at controlling Nong Chan village, and was "carried out efficiently and successfully".
It came as Thai and Cambodian negotiators held their third day of talks at a border checkpoint. Defence ministers from both sides are due to join the discussions on Saturday.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday that once both sides agreed to each other's conditions, a ceasefire agreement could be signed.
"I hope this time will be the last one we'd have to sign, so that peace can occur in the area," he said, "and people can return to their homes."
The US and China have also been attempting to mediate a new ceasefire.
The territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has roots stretching back over a century, marked by intermittent clashes resulting in casualties among both soldiers and civilians. Tensions notably intensified in May with the death of a Cambodian soldier in a border skirmish.
The conflict dramatically escalated further on July 24, when a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand prompted retaliatory Thai air strikes, triggering five days of intense fighting that claimed the lives of dozens of soldiers and civilians.
