New York - Saba:
Cambodia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Keo Chea, called on Thailand to immediately cease fire during a closed session of the UN Security Council, amid escalating tensions on the border between the two countries.
"Cambodia has called for an immediate ceasefire," Chea said in press statements, noting that Security Council members have urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic means to resolve the conflict.
These calls come following reports of ongoing clashes on the border, with Thailand accusing the Cambodian side of using Grad rocket launchers against civilian targets.
The session was also held after Thailand launched airstrikes on Thursday targeting military sites inside Cambodia, which responded with rocket and artillery shelling of Thai border areas.
According to Bangkok, the strikes killed at least 14 people, including 13 civilians and one soldier, in what has been described as the most serious military escalation between the two countries in about 15 years.
It is worth noting that the conflict between the two countries relates to a border area known as the "Emerald Triangle," where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos intersect.
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