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Thailand on Wednesday freed 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war for five months, days after a renewed ceasefire brought an end to weeks of deadly clashes along the two countries’ disputed border.
Cambodia’s defence ministry said the soldiers were released and returned safely to the country through a border crossing on Wednesday morning, after spending 155 days in detention.
Thailand’s foreign ministry also confirmed the repatriation, describing it as a gesture of goodwill and confidence-building between the neighbours.
The release followed a truce agreed on Saturday, which halted intensified fighting in December that left dozens dead and forced more than one million people to flee their homes.
Credit: Reuters
The conflict is rooted in a long-running territorial dispute linked to the colonial-era demarcation of the 800-kilometre border, where both sides lay claim to ancient temple ruins.
Footage broadcast by Cambodian state television showed the soldiers, smiling and waving from a bus, as they crossed into the border province of Pailin.
Relatives gathered to welcome them home, with one father, Voeung Vy, telling AFP he was overjoyed and eager to reunite with his son after months apart.
Under the ceasefire terms, Cambodia and Thailand committed to halting hostilities, freezing troop movements and cooperating on demining operations, while allowing displaced civilians to return home.
Thailand also agreed to return the detained soldiers within 72 hours, provided the truce held.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which served as a humanitarian observer during the repatriation, welcomed the development.
Its president, Mirjana Spoljaric, said the soldiers’ return allowed families to reunite and helped build trust between the two countries, supporting efforts toward lasting peace.
