The death toll from a Cambodian border conflict with Thailand has risen to 21, with another 83 injured, the Khmer Times newspaper reported, citing Cambodian government figures.
Shooting and bombing in recent weeks have killed 21 people, the newspaper noted. It was also reported that 83 Cambodians were injured in the fighting and over 544,700 civilians in the border provinces were forced to flee their homes.
As a result of the Thai military strikes in the Cambodian border areas, 111 private homes, five schools, three medical centers, a market, warehouses, several ancient temples and pagodas, a customs and excise administration building, 11 administrative buildings, five hotels, several bridges, a gas station, and 28 vehicles were destroyed.
Clashes involving small arms began on the Thai-Cambodian border on 7 December. According to the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, "after several days of provocative actions in the border areas aimed at igniting a new round of confrontation, the Thai armed forces have begun attacking Cambodian positions".
The Thai army said that Cambodian forces were the first to launch artillery fire on Thai positions in the border area and that Thai troops responded by attacking Cambodian military infrastructure in an attempt to establish control over key areas and inflict damage on the enemy.