Thailand returns injured Cambodian troops before key border talks

Phnom Penh [Cambodia], August 2 : Thailand has released two injured Cambodian soldiers captured following recent border clashes, even as both countries prepare for talks aimed at maintaining a fragile truce next week, Al Jazeera reported.

The Cambodian Defence Ministry confirmed the soldiers were returned on Friday through a checkpoint linking Thailand's Surin province with Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey. Their release comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions and competing claims over the circumstances of their capture.

"The wounded soldiers were returned through a designated border point," said Maly Socheata, a spokesperson for Cambodia's Defence Ministry, urging Bangkok to repatriate the remaining captured troops "in accordance with international humanitarian law", Al Jazeera reported.

Despite a ceasefire reached earlier this week, 18 other Cambodian troops captured during skirmishes on Tuesday remain in Thai custody. According to Phnom Penh, the soldiers approached Thai positions with peaceful intentions to offer post-conflict greetings. However, Thai authorities dispute this, claiming the soldiers crossed into Thai territory with apparent hostility, prompting their detention.

Thai officials stated they are currently following legal protocols while assessing the actions of the remaining soldiers. No timeline has been provided for their release, Al Jazeera said.

The ceasefire, while holding militarily, has done little to quell nationalist sentiments on social media, with platforms in both countries witnessing a surge in patriotic rhetoric and accusations.

Both governments have also taken foreign diplomats and observers on guided tours of the conflict zones, each side accusing the other of causing damage and using the visits to strengthen their respective narratives.

The five-day conflict, which erupted last week, saw infantry clashes, Cambodian rocket fire, Thai air strikes, and artillery exchanges. According to Al Jazeera, the violence killed more than 30 people, including civilians, and displaced over 260,000 others.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, military officials from both sides are expected to meet in Malaysia between August 4 and 7 under the General Border Committee framework to discuss de-escalation. However, the longstanding territorial dispute will not be addressed in these meetings.

"Defence attaches from other ASEAN countries will be invited as well as the defence attaches from the US and China," a Malaysian government spokesperson told reporters, referring to the Southeast Asian bloc currently chaired by Malaysia.

Separately, on Friday, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said Phnom Penh would nominate United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in brokering the ceasefire.

Speaking earlier in the capital, he thanked Trump for "bringing peace" and said the US President "deserved the award", Al Jazeera reported.

Other recent nominations for Trump have come from Pakistan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing his involvement in regional peace efforts.

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