Thailand, Cambodia clash for 9th day, 16 dead

Military leaders on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border said that their troops clashed again Saturday, marking the ninth straight day of battles that have left at least 16 people dead and displaced more than 85,000 villagers. As usual, officials on either side of the contested border blamed the other for starting the violence. The two countries reached a fragile cease-fire Thursday, but it was broken just hours later when fighting resumed. There have been no casualties reported in Saturday's fighting. Cambodia asked the International Court of Justice Friday to clarify its 1962 ruling giving Phnom Penh control of an 11th century temple near the border with Thailand. The two countries have fought repeatedly over the past few months along their poorly-marked border. The focus of the dispute is the temple known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Phra Viharn in Thailand. Bangkok claims control of land near the temple, including one of the easiest routes to reach it. Thai officials say they are preparing a legal team to address Cambodia's petition to the international court. The two countries have clashed sporadically since 2008, when Cambodia received United Nations World Heritage status for the Preah Vihear temple. Many Thai nationalists objected to Cambodia's listing of the temple.

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