Phnom penh: Thousands of Cambodians held a peace rally on Thursday amid an ongoing border conflict with Thailand, where the participants urged respect for a ceasefire agreement.
According to Anadolu Agency, tens of thousands of Cambodians gathered in the capital, Phnom Penh, to call for peace following the ongoing conflict that began on Dec. 7 and has dragged on to its 12th day, resulting in the deaths of at least 55 people from both sides.
Thailand's authorities reported that 21 Thai soldiers and 16 civilians have been killed in the conflict, whereas Cambodia's Interior Ministry stated that 18 Cambodian civilians were killed and 78 others injured.
The event, organized by the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), aimed not only to demonstrate Cambodia's commitment to peace but also to urge respect for the ceasefire and the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, according to state-run Agence Kampuchea Presse.
Leading the march, UYFC chief Hun Many emphasized the visible consequences of war, stating, "This is the second border clash in the seven-month conflict, and the Cambodian people are fully aware of the dangers of war."
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk expressed alarm over the reports of attacks on areas around villages and cultural sites using fighter jets, drones, and artillery. He highlighted the importance of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law and urged both sides to cease fire immediately and return to dialogue.
Despite US President Donald Trump's announcement last week that the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to halt the renewed fighting, clashes have persisted. The two countries had signed a peace agreement in October in Kuala Lumpur in the presence of Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, but that was suspended after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a landmine explosion in a border province.
Thailand and Cambodia have a long-standing border dispute that has repeatedly erupted into violence, including clashes in July that resulted in at least 48 deaths.