Phnom Penh: Cambodia said on Saturday that the Thai military had used an F-16 fighter jet to bomb a concrete bridge inside Cambodian territory.
“At 10:58 p.m. (on December 19), the Thai military deployed an F-16 fighter jet to drop two bombs, destroying the civilian O’ Jik Bridge at the border area between Chong Kal district of Oddar Meanchey province and Srei Snam district of Siem Reap province,” Cambodian Defence Ministry’s Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said in a press briefing.
She added that the Thai military forces have continued to fire artillery shells at several positions in Cambodia as of Saturday morning.
According to the latest figures released by Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, the conflict has killed 18 Cambodian civilians and injured 79 others so far. It has also forced over 510,000 people to flee their homes for safe shelters, Xinhua news agency reported.
Cambodia said on Wednesday that the Thai military forces have continued airstrikes and artillery shelling into Cambodian territory, as the civilian death toll in Cambodia has risen to 17.
Cambodian Defence Ministry’s Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said since early Wednesday, the Thai forces had used tank-mounted machine guns, bombing drones, artillery and a F-16 fighter jet to attack several positions in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Pursat provinces.
Socheata said that the total number of Cambodian civilians killed in the conflict reached 17, as the injured rose to 77.
The conflict has also forced over 130,000 Cambodian families with about 438,000 individuals to flee their homes for safe shelters, according to official figures.
The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict has reignited since December 7, and both sides accused the other of initiating the attack.
Earlier on Tuesday, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had reaffirmed the country’s stance regarding the Thailand-Cambodia border situation, saying that Cambodia is required to be the first to declare a ceasefire, ensure the ceasefire is genuine and sustainable and cooperate in mine clearance seriously and sincerely.
Maratee Nalita Andamo, deputy spokesperson for the MFA had emphasised at a press conference that Thailand’s position has been consistent and clear, and it has been publicly expressed multiple times by the prime minister, foreign minister and spokesperson of the MFA.
She also revealed that Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow will attend the ASEAN foreign ministers’ special meeting concerning the Thailand-Cambodia situation on December 22, while attendance details for other ASEAN member states are being coordinated.
According to data released at the press conference, this round of Thailand-Cambodia conflict has killed 17 Thai soldiers and 16 Thai civilians, with more than 260,000 people displaced, as of Tuesday morning.
(IANS)
