Battambang: As armed clashes intensify along the Thailand–Cambodia border, the Catholic Church in Cambodia says fear and displacement are spreading rapidly, even as young people and faith communities respond by renewing appeals for peace and reconciliation during the Advent season.
Fighting flared again in early December, with artillery fire and aerial bombardments reported on both sides of the border. By the early hours of Saturday, December 13, exchanges of shelling and bombing were continuing, leaving at least 21 people dead and forcing nearly 700,000 residents in border regions of both countries to flee their homes. The renewed violence follows the collapse of a fragile peace arrangement reached just weeks earlier.
Fr. Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzález, Apostolic Prefect of Battambang, described the current situation as one of “extreme tension and deep fear.” Speaking to Vatican-linked media, he said more than 200,000 Cambodians have already been displaced, with families living in constant uncertainty as fighting spreads across multiple provinces. Despite the anxiety, he noted that Pope Leo’s recent appeal for peace has become a source of consolation for many.
According to Fr. Figaredo, the Holy Father’s call during his December 10 audience has resonated strongly with local communities. “Those words have brought us comfort and hope at a time when people feel abandoned and forgotten,” he said, adding that the Church is striving to remain close to those most affected.
The Cambodia–Thailand border dispute has its origins in colonial-era decisions made more than a century ago, when France, then the colonial power in Cambodia, drew boundary lines in 1907. Disagreements over sovereignty have persisted ever since, periodically erupting into violence.
Tensions escalated again earlier this year after the death of a Cambodian soldier near the disputed border. Diplomatic relations quickly deteriorated, with Thailand tightening border controls and Cambodia responding with bans on Thai cultural products and imports, including fuel and agricultural goods. Although an October agreement temporarily eased hostilities, fighting resumed on December 7, plunging the region back into conflict.
Fr. Figaredo believes domestic political pressures are partly responsible for the renewed escalation. He suggested that nationalist sentiments within Thailand may be driving military action in an attempt to restore internal unity. However, he also pointed to a contrasting trend among young people. “Even in Thailand, many youth are rejecting war and calling for peace,” he observed, describing their stance as a hopeful sign amid the violence.
In recent days, Fr. Figaredo visited a refugee camp in Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province, where hundreds of displaced people many of them women, children, elderly individuals, and persons with disabilities have sought shelter. He said the refugees repeatedly asked whether the world was aware of their suffering.
For these families, he explained, Pope Leo’s appeal carries particular significance. “His voice is a sign that their pain is seen and acknowledged,” Fr. Figaredo said. He added that the local Church is embracing Advent as a season of surrender and trust, encouraging communities to place their fragile situation in God’s hands through prayer and solidarity.
Despite the hardship, he noted, shared prayer has strengthened bonds among the faithful. “In the midst of suffering, people are more united, more aware of one another, and more committed to mutual support,” he said. As Christmas approaches, communities are holding fast to the belief that Christ’s coming brings peace and hope, even in the darkest circumstances.
The humanitarian consequences of the renewed fighting are severe. Since violence resumed on December 7, at least 13 civilians have been killed and more than 60 injured in Cambodia alone. Over 190,000 people have been forced from their homes, with widespread damage reported across the provinces of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Battambang, and Pursat. These areas have faced airstrikes, drone attacks, shelling, and tank assaults.
In response, Caritas Cambodia has intensified its emergency operations in coordination with local authorities. Executive Director Kim Rattana said the organization is currently providing food, clean water, education assistance, protection services, and psychosocial care to around 3,200 families affected by the conflict.
Caritas has also helped establish 20 new displacement camps across several provinces, offering temporary shelter, sanitation facilities, and food supplies. According to Rattana, the camps now support approximately 5,000 families, while also delivering specialized psychosocial assistance and child protection services.
As fighting continues, Church leaders and humanitarian workers warn that the needs are growing by the day. Yet, amid fear and loss, Cambodian youth, faith communities, and aid workers continue to raise a collective plea for peace, dialogue, and an end to a conflict that has already exacted too heavy a human price.