Children bear the brunt of Cambodia’s border war displacement

OU AMBEL, Cambodia (Dec. 24, 2025) — In the crowded displacement camp of Ou Ambel commune, the laughter of children has been replaced by silence and fear. Families say the youngest evacuees are suffering most as Thai military attacks force them from their homes.

Parents describe children crying at the sound of shelling and aircraft overhead, clutching tightly to their mothers and fathers. Some have been separated from schools for weeks, with classrooms destroyed or abandoned. “My children are still very young,” said a displaced mother from Oddar Meanchey province. “They should be learning, not running from bombs.”

Aid workers say children face heightened risks in the camps — from malnutrition and illness to trauma from repeated displacement. Many families fled with nothing but the clothes they wore, leaving behind books, toys and food supplies.

According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, nearly 192,000 children are among the more than 544,000 people displaced nationwide since Dec. 7. Officials warn the number will rise if fighting continues.

For parents, the plea is simple: peace. “We want our children to grow up in safety, to go back to school, and to live without fear,” one father said.