Thailand Releases 18 Cambodian Soldiers Under New Cease-Fire Deal

Cambodian people welcome soldiers, who had been captured by Thai soldiers in July, as a bus passes by as they leave the premises of the former international airport in Phnom Penh on Dec. 31, 2025. Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty ImagesThailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers captured, fulfilling a key condition of a new deal to pause fighting along the two countries’ shared border.The handover took place on Dec. 31 following an agreement reached over the weekend under which both sides pledged to freeze forces in place along the front line, halt reinforcements, and allow civilians living in border areas to return home as soon as possible.