(Banteay Meanchey): After opening fire on Cambodian civilians in Prey Chan village, Ou Beichoan commune, Ou Chrou district, Banteay Meanchey province, resulting in one death and three injuries, Thai soldiers attempted to justify their actions by accusing Cambodian troops of firing first, claiming their attack was an act of self-defence. This accusation is a fabricated distortion intended to evade responsibility for their wrongful conduct and violation of international law.

Dan Reatrey, also known as Chin, a resident of Prey Chan village whose house is located near the area where Thai soldiers had set up barbed wire fencing to encroach upon Cambodian land and homes, recounted that at the time of the incident, he was resting near his brother’s house, about 20 meters from the fence, when Thai troops began firing on the Cambodian villagers.

He asserted that he clearly heard the gunfire from the Thai side. According to Reatrey, the gunfire originated from the area of a former Cambodian military post that the Thai forces had surrounded with barbed wire and destroyed after 13 August 2025. He further stated that the shooting appeared to have come from three different directions, not just one target.

“They fired directly into our village [Prey Chan]… using only machine guns shooting nonstop into our homes,” he confirmed.

Cambodian soldiers had been deployed to protect Prey Chan village after the Thai army fenced off and occupied Cambodian land and homes on 13 August 2025. In full respect of the ceasefire agreement signed on 28 July 2025, the Cambodian troops stationed there were unarmed, wearing only their military uniforms. Despite repeated provocations and hostile actions by Thai forces aimed at inciting violence, Cambodian troops have exercised restraint and have not retaliated.

After firing on Cambodian civilians, Thai forces issued a statement attempting to shift blame, claiming their actions were in self-defense following alleged gunfire from Cambodian troops.

Reatrey affirmed that prior to the Thai attack, no gunfire was heard from the Cambodian side. Even after Thai soldiers fired on the village and civilians, Cambodian troops continued to show restraint and did not return fire.

“The guards [Cambodian soldiers] at the front didn’t have guns or weapons. [...] We didn’t fire back — not even now [past midnight on November 12 leading into November 13],” he emphasised.

A landmine victim himself from remnants of Cambodia’s past internal conflicts, Reatrey expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the Thai army’s brutal attack on innocent Cambodian civilians.

Following the Joint Peace Statement between Cambodia and Thailand issued on 26 October 2025, he and other villagers in Prey Chan had hoped for peace to finally return after three months of psychological distress caused by Thai aggression. However, on November 12, that hope was shattered by the violent actions and blatant disregard of the joint peace statement by Thai forces.

Reatrey expressed his profound grief and called upon US President Donald Trump and the international community to help bring justice for Cambodian civilians affected by the Thai military’s attack and to stop their acts of aggression.
=FRESH NEWS