86 Dead: Thailand and Cambodia Hold Ceasefire Talks as Border Fighting Rages

They're shaking hands at the negotiating table, but the guns have yet to fall silent. Military officials from Thailand and Cambodia began talks on Wednesday to resume a ceasefire after 16 days of fierce border clashes that have killed at least 86 people, both countries confirmed.

A High-Stakes Meeting

The meeting comes just two days after a special session of Southeast Asian foreign ministers convened in Kuala Lumpur to salvage a truce. The three-day talks are being held at a border checkpoint along their 817-km (508-mile) frontier. Thai Defence Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said the meeting could pave the way for an agreement. "If the secretariat meeting goes smoothly... then there will be a meeting between the defence ministers of the two countries on December 27," he told reporters. His Cambodian counterpart, Maly Socheata, confirmed the talks began at 4:30 p.m. (0930 GMT), led by generals from both sides.

A Broken Peace and Continued Clashes

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This is the most significant step since fighting re-erupted, shattering an enhanced ceasefire brokered in October by ASEAN chair Malaysia and U.S. President Donald Trump. Both Cambodia and Thailand have accused the other of aggression and violating that deal. According to national authorities, the violence has killed at least 21 civilians in Cambodia and displaced more than half a million people. In Thailand, at least 65 people have died, with over 150,000 evacuated.

International Concerns Mount

The U.S. State Department expressed concern over the continued fighting, stating that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio remain in contact with their counterparts. "We strongly urge the immediate cessation of hostilities... and for both sides to fully implement the ceasefire... outlined in the October 26 Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords," a spokesperson said. The pleas have not stopped the accusations. On Wednesday, Cambodia accused Thailand of using fighter jets to drop bombs, while Thailand claimed its neighbor continued to fire heavy weapons into civilian areas, prompting retaliation.