Over 78,600 Students Displaced; Defence Ministry Reports Shelling of Civilian Villages
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) on Monday announced the mass closure of 377 schools across four provinces bordering Thailand due to escalating security concerns. This action has immediately halted the education of approximately 78,600 students and affected 3,197 teachers.
The Ministry directly attributed the sweeping closures to security concerns following what it described as persistent Thai military attacks across the border.
Shelling Targets Civilian Zones
The humanitarian situation is worsening as military action impacts non-combatants. Separately, the Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported that Thai forces have fired directly into civilian villages in Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, and Banteay Meanchey provinces.
The Ministry alleged that this shelling has resulted in:
- Civilian casualties (injuries reported).
- Destruction of homes and private property.
- Mass displacement, forcing thousands of residents, including vulnerable populations like women, children, and the elderly, to evacuate to temporary safe locations.
Timeline of Renewed Attacks
H.E. Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, Spokeswoman for the Ministry of National Defence, provided an updated timeline of the attacks, which show sustained hostilities:
- Monday Morning Resumption: Thai troops resumed firing at approximately 5:04 a.m. local time on Monday, targeting multiple key areas.
- Target Areas: The targets included both military positions and civilian zones near border points such as the Preah Vihear Temple zone, An Ses, Tamone Thom Temple, and other surrounding areas.
- Initial Incident: Renewed firing on Monday followed the initial cross-border shelling that reportedly began around 2:15 p.m. on Sunday.
The MoEYS has yet to announce when classes might resume, pending an assessment of the security situation on the ground.
