Thai, Cambodia troops clash again on disputed border

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

Thai and Cambodian soldiers fought with rockets, guns and tanks on Sunday in a third day of clashes over disputed territory surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple, the area's worst fighting in years.

Tracer bullets cut through the dark and shelling could be heard from a 4.6-sq-km (two-sq-mile) contested area around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on a jungle-clad escarpment claimed by both Southeast Asian neighbors, witnesses said.

The heaviest fighting subsided after about three hours but sporadic gunfire was heard into the night. A Kantaralak district hospital in Thailand's Sri Sa Ket province said 10 soldiers and two villagers were wounded.

At least 2,500 people fled villages on the Thai side of the border and hundreds of Cambodians were evacuated, as Thailand brought in more troops and armored vehicles, according to witnesses and local authorities in both countries.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/06/us-thailand-cambodia-idUSTRE7151K320110206

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[Turborama]

2. AJE: Thai-Cambodia clashes continue - Troops exchange fire for fourth straight day

Clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops over a disputed area surrounding a 900-year-old Hindu temple have continued for a fourth day across the frontier between the two countries.

Shelling and machine gunfire echoed around the contested area on Monday around the ancient Preah Vihear temple claimed by both Southeast Asian neighbours, witnesses said.

Meanwhile, Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, has called for "maximum restraint" to cease the hostilities, which have already left at least five people dead.

These were the most deadly clashes since Preah Vihear was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008, a move that sparked sporadic skirmishes between the neighbours. The temple, which is surrounded by disputed territory, was damaged on Sunday by Thai artillery fire, according to Cambodia, which said one wing of the building had "collapsed" as a result.

Full article: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/02/20112733130741667.html

:hi: Joanne98