Territory mapped during France’s colonial rule is behind clash that has exposed tensions between the countries
A long-running border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia escalated dramatically on Thursday, with Thailand launching airstrikes on Cambodian military targets and accusing Cambodia of firing rockets and artillery.
At least 11 Thai civilians, including an eight-year-old boy, and a Thai soldier were killed in the violence. It is not yet clear if there are Cambodian casualties.
Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of opening fire first.
The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, to when France, which occupied Cambodia until 1953, first mapped the land border.
