US Aids Peace Efforts as Cambodia and Thailand Begin Talks in Malaysia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that State Department officials are in Malaysia to assist peace efforts as Cambodia and Thailand were scheduled to begin talks on Monday to mediate their deadly border conflict. President Donald Trump and Rubio are closely monitoring the situation.

The talks are crucial as hostilities between the two Southeast Asian neighbors have escalated into their worst fighting in over a decade since Thursday, with both sides accusing each other of fresh artillery strikes. The conflict, which intensified following a border skirmish in late May, has resulted in over 30 deaths (including 13 Thai and 8 Cambodian civilians) and the evacuation of over 200,000 people.

Trump, who stated he would not conclude trade deals with Thailand and Cambodia unless they ended their fighting, believes both countries desire to settle their differences.