U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that State Department officials are in Malaysia to assist peace efforts as Cambodia and Thailand are scheduled to begin talks in hopes for a ceasefire. President Donald Trump and Rubio are closely monitoring the situation and aiming for the conflict to end as soon as possible. The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are scheduled to attend mediation talks over their deadly border conflict in Malaysia, as both sides accuse each other of launching fresh artillery strikes across contested areas. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the late-May killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Hostilities resumed on Thursday and escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors in more than a decade. The death toll has risen above 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia, and more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas. Trump stated that both Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle their differences after he told the leaders of both countries that he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended their fighting.
US officials are currently in Malaysia to assist in the Cambodia-Thailand talks. Thuy 646
