TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The death toll of armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia climbed to 32, amid growing concerns of an extended conflict.
Officials in Cambodia have reported an additional 12 deaths as a result of the ongoing border dispute with Thailand.
Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for the Cambodia Ministry of National Defense, told journalists on Saturday, July 26, 2025, as quoted by Aljazeera , that seven more civilians and five other soldiers were confirmed dead. Previously, another Cambodian man was reported killed when a Thai rocket hit a Buddhist pagoda where he was taking shelter on Thursday.
At least 50 Cambodian civilians and over 20 soldiers were also injured, the spokesperson said.
Thailand has reported 13 civilians—including children—and six soldiers killed over the past two days of fighting. Meanwhile, 29 Thai soldiers and 30 civilians were injured in Cambodia's attacks.
The Cambodian newspaper, The Khmer Times, quoted officials in the Preah Vihear Province, Cambodia, saying about 20,000 residents have been evacuated from the country's northern border with Thailand.
Over 138,000 people have also been evacuated from the Thai border regions, with about 300 evacuation centers opened, according to Thai officials. On Friday, Thailand declared martial law in eight districts along the border with Cambodia.
The Cambodia Ministry of National Defense condemned Thailand's martial law as a clear escalation of military aggression. They warned that this signifies a broader military campaign to violate Cambodia's sovereignty.
The decades-long conflict, centered around the disputed Thailand-Cambodia border areas, flared up on Thursday after a landmine explosion along the border injured five Thai soldiers.
Tensions escalated as Thailand and Cambodia launched direct attacks on each other's territory, with both sides accusing the other of initiating fire first.
Thailand claimed that the Cambodian military launched long-range rockets at civilian targets in Thailand, including an attack on a gas station that killed at least six people.
The Thai military then deployed F-16 fighter jets to bomb targets in Cambodia, including an attack reported on a Buddhist pagoda, resulting in civilian casualties.
Cambodia accused Thailand of using a large number of cluster munitions—controversial and widely condemned weapons—and referred to it as a clear violation of international law.
As quoted by Khmer Times, Major General Winthai Suwaree, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army, responded on Friday to Cambodia's accusations that Thailand had used cluster munitions.
The Royal Thai Army has acknowledged the use of cluster munitions against Cambodian targets, which violates the Cluster Munitions Convention, but stated that it is not obliged to comply with the international convention as it is not a signatory to the CCM agreement.
Winthai stated that cluster munitions are only used when necessary to target military objectives, thereby enhancing the ability to destroy those targets. He explained that after the main projectile hits the target, the submunitions inside it will explode sequentially.
Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand's acting prime minister, in turn accused Cambodia of possibly being responsible for war crimes due to civilian deaths, as well as damage to a hospital.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting focused on the clashes in closed session on Friday evening in New York but did not issue an official public statement after the meeting.
The Associated Press, citing an unnamed council diplomat, reported that the 15 UNSC members called on the parties to ease the fighting, exercise restraint, and resolve the dispute peacefully.
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