HANOI, December 18. /TASS/. Eighteen Cambodians have been killed in a border escalation with Thailand, Khmer Times newspaper quoted the Cambodian Interior Ministry as saying in a report.

Since December 7, 18 Cambodian civilians have been killed in the conflict, the ministry said. Also, 78 Cambodians have been injured in hostilities, and more than 450,000 civilians have been forced to flee their homes in bordering provinces. Besides UNESCO World Heritage locations, including ancient temples and other cultural or religious sites, as well as civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, schools, hospitals, office buildings and bridges, have been damaged.

Armed clashes erupted on the border between Thailand and Cambodia on December 7. According to the Cambodian Defense Ministry, Thailand launched attacks on Cambodian positions after days of provocations by the Thai military in border areas that set the stage for a new bout of confrontation.

The Royal Thai Army reported that Cambodian forces were the first to shell Thai positions in the border area, and the Thai Air Force responded by attacking Cambodian military infrastructure to take key areas under control and counter the enemy.