BANGKOK, December 9. /TASS/. Cambodia has begun shelling Thailand’s eastern provinces using BM-21 multiple rocket launchers, the Thai Second Army Area Command reported.
According to the statement, Cambodian forces fired first in the areas of Sam Tae, Phu Phi, Chong Ta Thao, and Prasat Ta Kwai, prompting a Thai response. "According to the rules of engagement, the threat must be neutralized, and the lives and property of residents in border areas must be protected," the command said.
The Royal Thai Army reported that the shelling began at around 5 a.m. local time on Monday (10 p.m. GMT Sunday), killing one Thai soldier and wounding eight others. The Thai Air Force responded by striking Cambodian military infrastructure. The Second Army Area reiterated that Cambodia had used BM-21 systems to fire on Thai territory.