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US-Cambodia military drills return after 8-year hiatus amid warming ties
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the return of the Angkor Sentinel drills, paused in 2017, after meeting his Cambodian counterpart
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The US and Cambodia will revive flagship military exercises for the first time in eight years, the latest sign of warming ties following a flurry of deals between the two sides including a Trump-backed peace accord with Thailand.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the return of the Angkor Sentinel drills after a meeting with his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a security summit in Malaysia on Friday.
The defence exercises were suspended in 2017, at a time when Washington criticised Phnom Penh for worsening human rights problems and a deterioration of democracy.
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The announcement caps off a milestone week for US relations with Cambodia, including securing a coveted trade deal during US President Donald Trump’s three-nation Asian tour.
Trump also oversaw the signing of a peace accord to ease a border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand that killed dozens earlier this year.
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