Ongoing Thai military aggression continues to severely disrupt the education of hundreds of thousands of Cambodian children while the civilian death toll from the conflict continues to rise.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, as of Dec. 25, a total of 1,311 schools across seven border provinces have been forced to close. This suspension of classes has directly impacted 15,034 teachers and 322,103 students.
The affected educational institutions are located in the provinces of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Siem Reap, Koh Kong, and Pursat.
Beyond the educational impact, official reports show that the conflict has now claimed 31 civilian lives and left over 90 others injured. Furthermore, the number of displaced persons has surged to over 630,000, including approximately 203,000 children who are currently seeking refuge in safe zones.
Reports from the frontline indicate that Thai forces are continuing to target civilian areas. H.E. Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, Spokeswoman for the Ministry of National Defence, stated that in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey, Thai forces have conducted intensive strikes using artillery, tank-mounted guns, Kamikaze drones, and DTI-2 rockets since 6:15 a.m. today.
Similar attacks in Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, and Battambang provinces were reported to have begun at 5:35 a.m.
