Bangkok: The Thai and Cambodian forces have halted weeks of deadly border fighting after agreeing to a ceasefire, ending nearly 20 days of clashes that resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced nearly a million civilians along their disputed border.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Thai 1st Army Region reported that the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province has stabilized following the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire was implemented on Saturday at 12:00 noon local time (0500GMT), following a meeting of the 3rd Special General Border Committee, co-chaired by the defense ministers of both countries, as stated by the Cambodian Prime Minister's office.

The ceasefire agreement includes commitments from both sides to halt all armed hostilities and avoid unprovoked fire, troop advances, or movements toward each other's positions. It applies across all border areas and covers military targets, civilians, and infrastructure. Thailand is set to return 18 soldiers to Cambodia after the ceasefire is maintained for 72 hours.

As part of de-escalation efforts, both nations agreed to maintain current troop deployments without further movements, including patrols toward opposing positions. The joint statement emphasized that the ceasefire does not affect existing border demarcation issues. They also agreed to resume survey and demarcation work through the Joint Boundary Commission, prioritizing affected areas where civilians reside.

Earlier, the Cambodian Defense Ministry alleged that Thai military actions included artillery shelling, drone attacks, and airstrikes near civilian areas. There was no immediate response from Thai authorities to these claims.

Diplomatic efforts continue, with Cambodia's Foreign Ministry announcing that top diplomat Prak Sokhonn will attend a meeting in China with Thai and Chinese counterparts to discuss the situation. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the ceasefire, emphasizing its importance for civilian safety and regional stability.

The conflict has led to significant casualties, with 99 people killed over the past 20 days. The clashes have also displaced nearly 1 million individuals on both sides of the border, highlighting the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the long-standing dispute.