United Nations: Cambodia urged an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand, prompting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.
The flare-up, the worst in over a decade, began Thursday along contested sections of the 800-kilometre border, with both sides trading artillery, rocket fire, and air strikes. Fighting has left at least 16 dead, including one Cambodian civilian and 15 Thai nationals, and displaced over 138,000 people in Thailand.
Cambodia’s envoy to the United Nations, Chhea Keo, said following the closed-door session that his country was committed to resolving the crisis peacefully. “Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire unconditionally, and we also call for a peaceful solution to the dispute,” Keo said.
On Friday, the Thai army reported that hostilities resumed around 4:00 a.m. local time, with Cambodian forces launching BM-21 rocket systems, artillery, and heavy weapons. Thai troops responded with appropriate supporting fire and scrambled F-16 jets to target what were described as Cambodian military positions.
ถ้อยแถลงของไทยต่อสถานการณ์ชายแดนไทย – กัมพูชา ณ ที่ประชุมคณะมนตรีความมั่นคงแห่งสหประชาชาติ (แบบปิด)https://t.co/7wuX6tyMy7
Thailand’s Statement on Thailand – Cambodia Situation at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) private meetinghttps://t.co/FyENpMeIAy
— กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ | MFA of Thailand (@MFAThai) July 26, 2025
As the situation unfolded, Thailand signaled a willingness to de-escalate through diplomacy. Both countries blamed each other for triggering the latest violence. Thailand accused Cambodian forces of targeting civilian sites, including a hospital and a petrol station, while Phnom Penh questioned the notion that it had initiated aggression, pointing to its smaller military capability.
“The Security Council called for both parties to exercise maximum restraint and return to diplomacy. That is what we are calling for,” Cambodia’s UN envoy added.
The two Southeast Asian nations have a long history of tensions over their border, which remains partially disputed despite a 2013 International Court of Justice ruling aimed at settling the matter. Between 2008 and 2011, similar clashes left 28 people dead and forced thousands from their homes.
The current crisis was sparked in May, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a skirmish. The situation has since deteriorated, leading to the current multi-front conflict.
