Thailand repatriated two of 20 Cambodian soldiers detained during recent border clashes, ahead of crucial ceasefire talks set for August 4-7 in Malaysia. The move follows a fragile truce brokered on July 28, mediated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and spurred by US President Donald Trump’s threat to pause tariff negotiations. The White House announced on Friday that both nations’ tariffs on US exports have been reduced from 36% to 19%, easing economic pressure.

The detained soldiers, accused of entering Thai territory, are being processed for immigration violations, said Thai spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, emphasizing humanitarian treatment. Cambodia’s defense ministry demanded the immediate release of all 18 remaining soldiers, citing international humanitarian law.

The upcoming talks, involving the General Border Committee and defense ministers, will include ASEAN, US, and Chinese observers to ensure compliance with the ceasefire, which ended five days of intense fighting that killed 43 and displaced over 300,000. The conflict, rooted in a decades-long dispute over the 817-km border and ancient temples, flared after a Cambodian soldier’s death in May.

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