Cambodia - July 2025

Armed conflict broke out on the Cambodia-Thailand border on 24 July, killing at least 38 people (including at least 13 civilians), wounding over 200, and displacing at least 300,000 on both sides of the border. The deadly violence broke out after civilians and soldiers from both Cambodia and Thailand engaged in minor altercations and clashes over temples in a long-contested border region. These clashes strained diplomatic tensions as well, and violence continued until acting Thait Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to an unconditional ceasefire on 28 July. No ceasefire violations have been independently confirmed since. The violence is the worst between the two countries since 40 soldiers and civilians died in armed clashes over the same contested temples and borders between 2011 and 2013.

Update: The ceasefire broke down on 7 December. Fighting shortly escalated to include rocket and drone attacks and airstrikes from the Thai Air Force. Half a million people were displaced on both sides of the border from the renewed fighting, and Thai authorities reported that hundreds of Cambodian and 26 Thai soldiers were killed before a new ceasefire was agreed on 27 December.

Sources: Associated Press, The Diplomat, The Guardian, Human Rights Watch, The Diplomat, Licadho Cambodia, Al Jazeera