PHNOM PENH, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Wednesday that the Thai military forces have continued airstrikes and artillery shelling into Cambodian territory, as the civilian death toll in Cambodia has risen to 17.
Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said since early Wednesday, the Thai forces had used tank-mounted machine guns, bombing drones, artillery and a F-16 fighter jet to attack several positions in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Pursat provinces.
Socheata said that the total number of Cambodian civilians killed in the conflict reached 17, as the injured rose to 77.
The conflict has also forced over 130,000 Cambodian families with about 438,000 individuals to flee their homes for safe shelters, according to official figures.
The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict has reignited since Dec. 7, and both sides accused the other of initiating the attack. ■
