HANOI, December 16. /TASS/. The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has strongly condemned Thailand’s armed aggression, including the use of combat aviation to strike several provinces along the shared border, highlighting that these actions violate Cambodia’s sovereignty and the UN Charter, the ministry’s states.

"Such actions are a violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a breach of the UN Charter and a disregard for both the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN community spirit," the ministry’s statement reads as quoted by the Khmer Times newspaper. The Cambodian foreign ministry pointed out that Thailand’s use of F-16 fighter jets on Cambodian territory is "a clearly disproportionate and ungrounded" use of force.

According to the ministry, airstrikes carried out by the Thai military about 80-90 kilometers into Cambodian territory resulted in civilians’ deaths, the displacement of over 400,000 people and large-scale destruction. These attacks damaged and destroyed UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including ancient temples and other cultural and religious sites, as well as civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels, casinos, administrative buildings and bridges. "Such actions are a serious violation of international humanitarian law and international commitments to protect civilians and cultural values," the foreign ministry noted.

The ministry called on the Thai military to "immediately cease all bombing and any military operations, endangering civilians," respect international law and prioritize the safety of civilians and civilian facilities.

Clashes involving small arms began on the border between Thailand and Cambodia on December 7. According to the Cambodian National Defense Ministry, after several days of provocative actions by the Thai armed forces aimed at igniting a new round of confrontation in the border areas, they began attacking Cambodian positions.

The Royal Thai Army said that Cambodian forces were the first to start shelling Thai positions in the border area and Thai servicemen responded by attacking Cambodian military infrastructure to establish control over key areas and inflict damage on the enemy.