Thailand releases captured Cambodian soldiers
Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been held since July following deadly clashes along the disputed border between the two countries. The handover comes under the ceasefire agreement reached on Saturday to halt weeks of fighting. The transfer was delayed by one day after Thailand raised concerns about alleged violations of the truce. The release eventually went ahead after sustained diplomatic efforts by China aimed at ensuring the ceasefire remains intact. Tensions along the Thailand–Cambodia border escalated sharply earlier this month, after years of simmering disputes. The fighting lasted several weeks and forced close to one million civilians to flee their homes in affected areas. Under the ceasefire deal, both sides agreed to freeze troop positions at current front lines, prohibit reinforcements and allow displaced civilians to return to border communities as soon as conditions permit. The Cambodian […]