A spokesperson for Cambodia's defense department says according to AFP that Thailand initiated new artillery fire at 04:50 on Sunday, local time. Thailand's army claims in turn that Cambodian artillery began firing at 04.
Journalists from AFP have heard artillery fire in the Cambodian city of Samraong, about two miles from the border.
At the same time, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet announces that he is willing to initiate talks on a ceasefire, in the escalating conflict that has been going on since Thursday. He welcomes US President Donald Trump's initiative to contact the leaders of the two countries on Saturday.
According to Hun Manet, the country's foreign minister Prak Sokhonn will talk to his American counterpart Marco Rubio.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated on Saturday that the country "agrees in principle to a ceasefire".
According to the authorities in both countries, a total of 33 people have been killed, of which 13 in Cambodia and 20 in Thailand. Soldiers are among the victims, but the majority are reported to be civilians. Over 200,000 people have been forced to flee from the border regions.
Sporadic violent incidents have occurred over the past 15 years, but the recent days' fighting is the bloodiest in over a decade. This year, the relationship between the countries has deteriorated significantly since May, when a Cambodian soldier was shot dead at the border.
