A Monday land mine explosion along the Cambodia-Thailand border has put their ceasefire at risk.
The explosion injured four Thai soldiers, leading the country to threaten to suspend the President Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire. One soldier lost his foot, while the other three soldiers suffered minor injuries.
Trump helped broker the ceasefire deal between the countries last month.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the land mine explosion showed that “the hostility towards our national security has not decreased as we thought it would,” and that the ceasefire’s implementation would be stopped until the country’s demands are met.
He also accused Cambodia of laying new mines, though Thai troops regularly patrol the area.
Cambodia denied the landmine allegations, saying most mines along the border are old ones that had been moved.
“Most minefields, from nearly three decades of Cambodia’s civil wars of the 1970s and 1980s, along the Cambodia-Thailand border have not yet been cleared due to the difficult terrains and the un-demarcated status of the border areas,” Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The country added that it wishes to continue the ceasefire’s implementation.
“Cambodia remains committed to implementing the Joint Declaration, which was signed amidst much applaud from the international community,” the Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Under the agreement, Thailand was directed to release 18 Cambodian soldiers that they are holding prisoner, and both countries would remove heavy weapons and mines along their borders. Thai Defense Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit said the soldiers would not be released as scheduled this week.
Both countries touted progress on arms removal, but Thailand has accused Cambodia of obstructing the mine clearance process. Thailand believes Cambodia has laid new mines, but the latter country said it would “never do so.”
Trump originally brokered the deal by threatening both countries with the loss of trade deals if they didn’t sign a truce.
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The president has aimed to end as many wars as possible during his second term, saying he “loves” to end conflicts, often reminding his audience of his peace treaty tally.
“The eight wars that my administration has ended in eight months — there’s never been anything like that,” he said. “We’re averaging one a month … It’s like, I shouldn’t say it’s a hobby, because it’s so much more serious, but something I’m good at and something I love to do.”