Sawt Falasteen - Cambodian soldiers freed by Thailand receive hero's welcome

A decades-old border dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted into military clashes several times this year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing more than a million.

Some of the 18 soldiers -- who were captured by Thailand and held for five months as prisoners of war -- smiled, waved and gestured with their palms pressed together to cheering crowds through bus windows in the border province of Pailin, and later in Phnom Penh.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets of the capital, hollering and waving national flags, as a caravan of mini-buses shuttled the men and teary-eyed relatives through the city, video from Cambodian state television showed.

One woman in the crowd, Im Sivorn, 53, told AFP their homecoming was like a gift for the new year.

"As a Cambodian, I am very happy to welcome these 18 heroic soldiers back in the country," she said.

The soldiers met Prime Minister Hun Manet and his wife, Pich Chanmony, later Wednesday.

"Even though it is a bit late, we have never left brothers behind," Hun Manet wrote on his Facebook page.

Cambodia's defence ministry said the soldiers were "released and safely returned to the motherland" through a border crossing on Wednesday morning after being detained for 155 days.

Thailand's foreign ministry said they were repatriated "as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building".

- 'Heroic soldiers' -

The two countries agreed on December 27 to a truce, ending renewed military clashes -- with artillery bombardments and air strikes -- that spread to nearly every border province on both sides.

The conflict stems from a dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border, where both sides claim centuries-old temple ruins.

Under the truce, Cambodia and Thailand pledged to cease fire, freeze troop movements and cooperate on demining efforts along their border.

They also agreed to allow displaced civilians to return home as soon as possible, while Thailand was to return the 18 Cambodian soldiers within 72 hours, if the ceasefire held.

Cambodia has said its soldiers were captured by Thai forces on July 29 -- nearly eight hours after a ceasefire that halted five days of deadly clashes went into effect.

Five months on, it had been unclear whether or when Bangkok would free the 18 men, after Thailand accused Cambodia of violating their most recent pact by flying more than 250 drones over its territory on Sunday night.

A three-day truce observation period ended Tuesday without an announcement of the soldiers' release.

But Phnom Pehn's information minister Neth Pheaktra confirmed Wednesday the 18 soldiers had arrived back on Cambodian soil.

- Disputed border -

The United States, China and Malaysia had brokered a short-lived ceasefire in July.

In October, US President Donald Trump jetted to Malaysia's capital to oversee the signing of a follow-on declaration, touting new trade deals after Cambodia and Thailand vowed to prolong their truce.

That pact said Thailand would "promptly release" the captured Cambodian soldiers.

But Bangkok suspended the agreement the following month, after Thai troops were wounded by landmines while patrolling the border.

The US State Department on Wednesday welcomed "resolute efforts" by both sides to uphold the December 27 deal.

"This demonstrates both countries' commitments to lasting peace," department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement, calling the soldiers' release "a positive step towards rebuilding neighborly relations and trust."

While the two nations agreed Saturday to stop fighting, they still need to resolve the demarcation of their disputed border.

Cambodia said on Monday it had requested Thailand join a bilateral meeting in early January "to discuss and continue survey and demarcation work".

N.Awad--SF-PST