US Urges Thailand and Cambodia to Halt Hostilities Amid Ongoing Clashes

Wed Dec 10 2025 12:59:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As fighting continues along the Thai-Cambodian border, the US demands an immediate ceasefire, with increasing civilian casualties and tensions rising between the two nations.

The United States has called on Thailand and Cambodia to immediately cease hostilities as clashes have resulted in at least 10 deaths and mass displacement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized adherence to peace measures from a prior accord brokered by President Trump, who has indicated he will personally intervene. Both countries have accused each other of escalating the conflict, which has involved significant military engagement.

The US has asked Thailand and Cambodia to cease hostilities immediately as border clashes extended for a third day, killing at least 10 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.

The two nations must follow de-escalatory measures outlined in a peace accord brokered by US President Donald Trump in October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

Trump has also said that he would make a phone call to stop the fighting, which is the most serious escalation since clashes in July killed dozens of people.

Both countries have blamed each other for re-igniting the fighting, which has seen air strikes and exchanges of artillery fire.

The death toll over three days of hostilities stands at 10 - seven from Cambodia and three from Thailand. Thai officials said they evacuated more than 400,000 people, while Phnom Penh reported that 100,000 on the Cambodian side have been moved to shelters.

Thailand's defense ministry stated Wednesday military actions were limited in scope and employed as a last option. Peace must come with the safety and security of our citizens, full stop, the ministry's spokesman remarked.

Cambodia, on the other hand, accused Thailand of launching aggressive military attacks that targeted civilian institutions and sacred cultural sites, including historic temples along the disputed border.

Additionally, Cambodia announced its withdrawal from the South East Asian Games being hosted in Thailand, attributing the decision to the concerns of athletes’ families.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation, highlighting significant civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

The century-old border dispute between the South East Asian neighbors dramatically escalated on 24 July with a Cambodian rocket barrage into Thailand, prompting Thai air strikes. This sequence led to intense fighting, resulting in numerous casualties.

This week, several countries, including the UK, US, and Japan, have issued warnings against traveling to border areas due to the renewed fighting.

}