At least 15 Thai and one Cambodian citizen have died in clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, resulting in the displacement of over 120,000 people along their shared border. Fighting continued into a second day on Friday, involving heavy artillery and rocket fire, marking the worst military confrontation between the two nations in over a decade. The Thai military stated that its forces responded with "appropriate supporting fire," while Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health reported 14 civilian and one soldier death in Thailand. The Cambodian military reported shelling from Thailand before dawn on Friday, and damage to the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Evacuations affected four Thai provinces (Surin, Sisaket, Buriram, and Ubon Ratchathani), with over half of the displaced population from Surin. Approximately 20,000 Cambodians also evacuated their northern border region.

The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to address the escalating conflict. Both Thailand and Cambodia have blamed each other for initiating the violence, which escalated rapidly from small arms fire to heavy shelling. The United States urged an immediate end to hostilities, while China expressed deep concern and called for dialogue between both countries.

Impact Statement: The escalating conflict poses a significant humanitarian crisis with a large-scale displacement of civilians and risks further regional instability.