Thailand releases 18 Cambodian soldiers as ceasefire holds

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Thailand hands over 18 Cambodian soldiers after 155 days in captivity as a truce agreed over the weekend continues to hold.

Thailand has released 18 ‍Cambodian soldiers ‍it had detained since July, according to officials, three days after the two countries agreed to a renewed ceasefire to end weeks of deadly border clashes.

Thailand’s foreign ministry confirmed the repatriation of the 18 soldiers to Cambodia on Wednesday, saying it was done “as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building”, according to a statement.

Cambodia’s defence ministry said the soldiers arrived on Cambodian soil at 10am local time (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday after 155 days in ‌Thai custody.

The border clashes reignited early this month, following the breakdown in in ceasefire deal that United States ‌President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helped broker to halt a previous round ‍of conflict in July.

The fighting killed at least 101 ‍people and ⁠displaced more than half a million on both sides, and included fighter-jet sorties, exchanges of rocket fire and artillery barrages.

The two Southeast Asian neighbours agreed to a renewed ceasefire over the weekend and the truce took ‍effect at noon (0500 GMT) on Saturday.

The soldiers were due to be returned on Tuesday, but Thailand delayed the handover over alleged breaches ​of the ceasefire deal, ‌which Cambodia denied.