On the morning of December 31, Thailand released 18 Cambodian soldiers who had been held captive for 155 days. This may indicate a warming of bilateral relations after three weeks of border clashes, UNN reports with reference to asia.nikkei.
Details
Local media quoted Kosu Bunsoet, deputy governor of Cambodia's Pailin province. He stated that 18 soldiers, who had been held since their capture during five days of clashes in July, returned to Cambodia through the Prom border crossing.
Cambodia's Ministry of Defense stated that a monitoring group from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the repatriation of the prisoners.
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement regarding the release of the prisoners. The Cambodians were informed of their rights, underwent a medical examination, and were visited by ICRC observers who were able to deliver letters to the soldiers' relatives.
Recall
Earlier, UNN reported that Thailand and Cambodia agreed to restore trust and strengthen the ceasefire after border clashes. Negotiations between the two sides took place in China.