Thailand Releases 18 Cambodian Soldiers Under New Ceasefire

Post by : Saif Nasser

Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers as part of a new ceasefire agreement between the two countries, officials said Wednesday. The move helps ease tensions after weeks of deadly clashes along the border.

The renewed ceasefire, agreed over the past weekend, halted fighting at noon on Saturday (0500 GMT). The clashes, which lasted about 20 days, killed at least 101 people and forced more than half a million civilians to flee their homes. The fighting involved fighter jet sorties, rocket attacks, and artillery exchanges.

Cambodian Defence Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata confirmed that the soldiers were handed over at a border checkpoint at 10 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Wednesday. They had been held in Thailand for 155 days. Sok Lou, the governor of Cambodia’s Battambang province, called the returned soldiers “heroic.”

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said the detainees were treated “in accordance with international humanitarian law and principles” during their time in custody.

The border conflict reignited this month after a previous ceasefire, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, fell apart. Under the terms of the new agreement, Thailand agreed to release the soldiers if the ceasefire held for 72 hours. The handover was delayed by one day due to Thailand’s allegations that Cambodia had violated the ceasefire, which Cambodia denied.

Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which oversaw the transfer, said, “Today's release and repatriation of prisoners of war allows families to be reunited and marks an important step in translating the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement into action.”

The return of the soldiers represents a positive step toward stabilizing relations between Thailand and Cambodia. Both countries have expressed hope that the ceasefire will hold and prevent further loss of life and displacement of civilians.

While tensions remain, this development shows that diplomatic efforts, backed by international observers like the ICRC, can help reduce conflict and restore a measure of peace along a historically volatile border.