HANOI, December 10. /TASS/. About 530,000 people have fled their homes in the border areas of Cambodia and Thailand due to the escalating conflict between the two countries, authorities on both sides reported.
According to Cambodia’s National Defense Ministry, as of December 10, a total of 37,100 families - 127,100 people - had evacuated from six provinces. Seven civilians have been killed in the shelling.
The Nation newspaper reported that, as of December 8, the Thai military had evacuated more than 400,000 residents from Thailand’s border provinces.
Clashes involving small arms broke out along the Thai-Cambodian border on December 7.
On Monday, the Royal Thai Army said Cambodian forces began shelling Thai positions in the border area early in the morning. The Thai Air Force responded with strikes on Cambodian military infrastructure. According to the Thai Army, Cambodia continued firing into Thai territory on Monday and Tuesday, using BM-21 multiple-launch rocket systems and kamikaze drones. Thai forces returned fire to regain control of key areas and inflict losses on the opposing side.
According to the latest reports, at least seven Cambodian soldiers and five Thai servicemen have been killed in the fighting.