What’s behind the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia?

The fighting included gunfire, shelling and rocket fire, which has left at least 14 people dead in Thailand and one in Cambodia and wounded dozens.

Armed clashes have broken out between Thailand and Cambodia in long-disputed border areas, rapidly escalating months-long tensions.

The fighting included gunfire exchanges, shelling and rocket fire, which have killed at least 14 people in Thailand and one in Cambodia and wounded dozens, while driving tens of thousands of people to flee homes near the border. Thailand also hit Cambodia with air strikes.

It was the second armed confrontation since a Cambodian soldier was shot dead in May and a major escalation that came hours after the two countries downgraded diplomatic relations following a land mine explosion that injured Thai soldiers.

The Thai military reported clashes at locations along the border near four Thai provinces on Friday.

Here’s what to know about the dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.

The dispute flared in May after armed forces of Thailand and Cambodia briefly fired at each other in a relatively small, contested border area that each country claims as its own.

Both sides said they acted in self-defense. One Cambodian soldier was killed.

While the countries said afterwards they agreed to de-escalate the situation, Cambodian and Thai authorities continued to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high.