Cambodian Villages Abandoned, Rural Schools Shut As Border Tensions Mount 

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, July 26 (Bernama) -- Ongoing military clashes along the Cambodian-Thai border have forced thousands of villagers in northern Cambodia to flee their homes since fighting broke out on Thursday morning.

Rural communities are bearing the brunt of the renewed conflict, which has erupted between Cambodian and Thai forces in contested border areas.

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The Ministry of National Defence spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said about 35,800 people in Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Pursat and Banteay Meanchey provinces have been evacuated.

She said five Cambodian soldiers and eight civilians have been killed, while 21 soldiers and 50 civilians have been injured since the clashes began on Thursday.

Many villagers are taking refuge in monasteries or camps established by the Cambodian government in safe zones.

In Pursat, bordering Thailand, about 350 families have been evacuated to safer areas with basic amenities, including water, food supplies and medical services.

She said the Thai army is continuing its offensive operations into areas far beyond the original conflict zone on Saturday morning. 

“Thailand’s aggression has spread to various Cambodian provinces. Thai forces launched five artillery shells targeting multiple locations in the Thma Da commune area of Veal Veng district, Pursat province,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport said that as of Saturday morning, a total of 488 schools across Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Koh Kong, and Pursat provinces had been closed due to the ongoing conflict.

Several provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border have become flashpoints in recent days, as continued exchanges of fire between the two militaries threaten the lives of innocent villagers.

-- BERNAMA