2,560 Cambodian families evacuated from border areas

Damages villagers' houses and

Cambodian villagers fleeing the war zone.

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News

Cambodian authority has evacuated 2,560 families from border areas in Oddar Meanchey province where two days of heavy fighting between Cambodian and Thai troops have caused at least 10 deaths and nearly over 40 wounded from both sides.

Mr. Ly Thuch, second vice-president of the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, said as at 6 p.m on Saturday 23rd April, 2,560 families, which is equivalent to 9,867 people, had been evacuated from the war zone.

He said these evacuees will be temporarily housed in 7 makeshift camps in Oddar Meanchey province. He said that at 8 a.m today, Sunday 24th April, provincial authority will hold a meeting with national and international non-governmental organisations to seek assistance for these displaced people.

Earlier, Chinese Xinhua News Agency quoted Mr. Nhim Vanda, the first vice-president of the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, as saying that as of Saturday at 4:00 p.m., 1,420 families with 5,000 people have been evacuated to a safe shelter in Banteay Meanchey province' s Samrong district, some 30 kilometers from the fighting zone. The Cambodian Red Cross reported it has prepared a makeshift camp in Chong Kal district, about 60 km from the fighting zone to shelter some of the evacuees.

RFA has also reported that 9 villagers' houses and one school building have been destroyed by Thai artillery shells.