Phnom penh: The Cambodian Ministry of Defense announced that 13 people have been killed in the country since the outbreak of military conflict with Thailand last Wednesday.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, five of the deceased were soldiers, while the remaining were civilians. Prior to this announcement, Cambodia had confirmed the death of only one civilian.

Cambodian authorities have reported the evacuation of more than 23,000 individuals from regions near the border due to the ongoing conflict.

Cambodia’s envoy to the United Nations has called for an “immediate ceasefire” with Thailand. Following two days of intense clashes that resulted in 32 fatalities and thousands of displacements on both sides, Bangkok has expressed a willingness to engage in talks.

“Cambodia has demanded an immediate ceasefire-unconditionally-and we also call for a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” stated UN Ambassador Chea Kyo after a closed-door Security Council meeting attended by representatives from both Cambodia and Thailand.

On the Thai side, officials have reported the deaths of six soldiers and 13 civilians since the conflict began, with 29 soldiers and 30 civilians injured.

The Thai Ministry of Health announced that more than 138,000 people have been evacuated from border areas to ensure their safety.

The conflict, which stems from a long-standing border dispute, escalated into heavy fighting on Thursday, involving various military forces and prompting the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to address the crisis.