Thailand and Cambodia agree on ceasefire

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire in their bloody border conflict. According to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire was agreed upon at a meeting of the heads of government of both countries in Malaysia and is scheduled to take effect at midnight (local time). Representatives of the United States and China also participated in the talks.

A joint statement said this was an "important first step toward de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security." Military leaders from both countries are scheduled to meet for talks on Tuesday. Both sides agreed to resume direct communication between their governments.

Heavy fighting broke out between the two neighboring countries on Thursday along their more than 800-kilometer-long border. The conflict has been simmering for decades. There have been deaths and injuries on both sides, and more than 200,000 people have fled their homes. Heavy fighting has been reported again since Monday night. What exactly triggered the escalation remains unclear, however.

The meeting between Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's interim Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai took place on Monday afternoon (local time). Shortly before the talks, international pressure on the warring parties continued to grow. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for an immediate ceasefire on X. US President Donald Trump also personally intervened in the escalating dispute over the weekend.

Shortly after the fighting began, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke with his counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia and offered to act as mediator. Malaysia holds the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year.

Both sides accused each other of instigating the violence. The attacks also hit civilian buildings, including a hospital and a supermarket. Thailand used fighter jets against military positions, among other things, while Cambodia fired missiles across the border.

The dispute escalated further after a shootout between soldiers from both countries at the end of May. A Cambodian soldier was killed. Most recently, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense accused Thailand of using chemical weapons. The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok denied the allegations, calling them "baseless accusations" and "disinformation" aimed at deliberately undermining Thailand's reputation in the international community.