Thailand releases 18 Cambodian soldiers as ceasefire holds

Thailand hands over 18 Cambodian soldiers after 155 days in captivity as a truce agreed over the weekend continues to hold.Published On 31 Dec 2025Thailand has released 18 ‍Cambodian prisoners of war, three days after the two countries agreed to a renewed ceasefire to end weeks of deadly border clashes.Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence said the soldiers arrived on Cambodian soil at 10am local time (03:00 GMT) on Wednesday after 155 days in ‌Thai custody.Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the repatriation, saying it was done “as a demonstration of goodwill and confidence-building”, according to a statement.The handover was coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which praised both sides for reaching a truce.“Today’s release and repatriation of prisoners of war allows families to be reunited and marks an important step in translating the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement into action,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.“Respect for international humanitarian law, which includes the repatriation of prisoners of war at the end of active hostilities, is critical to helping build confidence between parties and supporting the path to lasting peace,” she added.The ICRC said it had also visited the prisoners four times since their detention in July to ensure their conditions were in line with international law.Chhengpor Aun, a policy researcher at Cambodian think tank Future Forum, told Al Jazeera that the release was long overdue, and that Bangkok’s use of the detained soldiers as a “bargaining chip” raised serious questions about the country’s commitment to humanitarian law.