Bangkok: Thailand on Wednesday released 18 Cambodian soldiers it had detained since July, officials said, as the ceasefire between the two nations continued to hold. The move came after the two countries declared a ceasefire Saturday following nearly three weeks of border clashes that resulted in at least 99 fatalities, including civilians.
According to Anadolu Agency, Thailand "repatriated the 18 detained Cambodian soldiers to Cambodia," as stated by the Thai Foreign Ministry. The ministry highlighted that this repatriation was "undertaken as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building." The statement further expressed Thailand's hope that Cambodia would reciprocate this goodwill through concrete actions to promote sustained peace between the two countries.
Cambodian Defense Ministry spokeswoman Lt. Gen Maly Socheata acknowledged that the release of the soldiers "creates an environment conducive to peace, stability, and the full normalization of relations for the benefit of both nations." The Cambodian official news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse also confirmed the return of the soldiers after 155 days in custody, reporting that they were "warmly welcomed" upon their arrival at the Prum International Border Crossing in the Pailin province.
As per the ceasefire agreement, the release of all 18 soldiers held since the border clashes in July-which resulted in at least 48 fatalities-was contingent upon the ceasefire remaining fully intact for an initial period of 72 hours.
In a separate development, Thai Navy spokesman Rear Adm. Parach Rattanachaipan revealed that the navy captured a Thai-owned oil tanker in the Gulf of Thailand. The tanker was suspected of attempting to smuggle fuel to Cambodia, according to Thai PBS.