Kuala lumpur: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an "unconditional" and immediate ceasefire, bringing an end to days of deadly border clashes, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced. The agreement was reached following discussions involving the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, with the active participation of the US and China.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the ceasefire, which takes effect at midnight on Monday, was facilitated by talks held by Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Phumtham Wechayachai and Hun Manet. The resolution also acknowledged the efforts of US President Donald Trump, who engaged in extensive discussions with the political leaders involved to achieve a peaceful solution.
The announcement comes just a day before a scheduled meeting between the military chiefs of the two Southeast Asian nations. Prior to the ceasefire announcement, reports indicated ongoing armed border clashes and heavy exchanges of fire.
The conflict, rooted in a century-old dispute, reignited in 2008 when Cambodia attempted to register an 11th-century temple located in the contested border area as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an action strongly opposed by Thailand. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have since been downgraded as tensions escalated, leading to the recent outbreak of violence that resulted in numerous casualties.