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India Urges Restraint as UNESCO Seeks Safeguards for Preah Vihear in Border Fighting

India calls for restraint following reported damage, with UNESCO stressing urgent protection.

Overview

  • New Delhi said reports of damage to conservation facilities at the Preah Vihear complex are a matter of concern and appealed for a cessation of hostilities and protection of the site.
  • UNESCO confirmed it has shared geographical coordinates of heritage locations with the parties and stands ready to provide technical and emergency assistance under international conventions.
  • Recent clashes along multiple points of the CambodiaThailand border have involved artillery, rockets and air strikes, with deaths, injuries and large-scale displacement reported by various sources.
  • Thai and Cambodian authorities issued competing claims over targeting and responsibility, while independent verification of the full extent of damage at the temple complex remains limited.
  • Preah Vihear is a UNESCO World Heritage site under Cambodian sovereignty affirmed by ICJ rulings in 1962 and 2013, and India’s Archaeological Survey has supported restoration work in Cambodia since 1986.