Overview
- The 18 Cambodian soldiers were freed after roughly five months in detention following their capture during July border clashes.
- A ceasefire agreed on Saturday required a 72-hour quiet period before remaining detainees could be released, and that window expired on Tuesday.
- The ICRC confirmed the transfer at the Chanthaburi–Pailin crossing, and its president said respect for humanitarian law helps rebuild trust.
- Thailand called the release a goodwill gesture and urged Cambodia to respond with concrete steps toward lasting peace, while Phnom Penh welcomed conditions for normalization.
- Heavy fighting earlier in December killed more than 100 people and displaced over half a million along the contested border, with the territorial dispute still unresolved.