Cambodians return to scenes of destruction after fleeing border fighting with Thailand

O'SMACH, Cambodia (AP) — Shattered glass, torched motorcycles and a burned bust of Buddha awaited 63-year-old Soth Sim as he returned to his home in Phrong village near the Cambodia-Thailand border where fighting raged just a few days ago.

As thousands of displaced people in both Cambodia and Thailand begin to venture home, some are discovering the personal cost of the nearly weeklong clash which has resulted in the deaths of at least 41 people and displaced more than 260,000 others.

Soth Sim decided to return to his home in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, which is 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the border with Thailand’s Surin province, as a ceasefire between the two Southeast Asian nations seemed to take hold despite accusations of violations.

He and his family of eight fled to a displacement camp in Battkhao, 60 kilometers (35 miles) away, when the firing began a week ago.

Light streamed into Soth Sim's house through shrapnel holes in the wall as he combed through what remained of his home and business to see what could be salvaged.

His house had been devastated by fire and the furniture and fittings incinerated. The nearby gas station he owned and operated had also been extensively damaged.

Soth Sim said he was shocked when he saw a photo of his damaged house that his neighbor had posted on Facebook "because all of our belongings, all the property that we have been earning and working for our entire lives was gone, in one moment.”

He estimated the damages to his house and business will cost him the equivalent of around $100,000 and wondered how he will cope.

“How I feel is beyond sad. I don’t know how else to say it,” said Soth Sim. “But I have something to ask the United Nations, as well as any other leaders and organizations that have power: please help end the fight.”

As Soth Sim gave up searching for usable parts from the wreckage of his three motorcycles, his next-door neighbor arrived on hers.

Sok Duong, a 33-year-old rice wine brewer, came home to a crater in her driveway and shrapnel gashes on her roof.

“I have only this home as a shelter for me and my three children,” she said. “This is a big problem for me because my house has been damaged. I don’t know how can I live here.”

The damaged roof had let in the rain, leaving parts of her home flooded.

But Sok Duong was relieved to see her pen of piglets alive and well. They squealed as she fed and watered them.

“I have no money to repair the house yet, but for now I can at least feed my pigs,” she said. “I would be very happy if the fight is at an end now. I don’t want to flee anymore.”

Both Cambodia and Thailand blame the other for being the first to open fire in the fighting that began last week.

The ceasefire deal, brokered Monday by Malaysia with backing from the United States and China, appears to be holding but tension and mistrust remain high.

More people are expected to return in the coming days to homes they can only hope have been spared from destruction.

A man takes photos of shrapnel holes in a bombed building in O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

A bust of Buddha is left charred in a bombed building in O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

Two men examine the damage to a bombed building in O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

A torched motorcycle lies in ruins in a bombed building in O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

A bust of Buddha among remains charred inside a bombed building in O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey in Cambodia, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge turned to the Bleacher Creatures during their first-inning Roll Call at the New York Yankees' home opener Friday, bent a knee and flexed with both arms in honor of Brett Gardner.

“Still hoping he gets a chance to come back here and share his knowledge with the boys a little bit,” Judge said after his go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning started the Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins. “He was a big part of this team, his long tenure here as a Yankee, so I always like paying him a little credit. He's tuned into the game and watching.”

Gardner spent his entire big league career with the Yankees from 2008-21, and Judge made his major league debut with New York in 2016. Judge started flexing for Roll Call when playing center field, Gardner's old position. Judge roomed with Gardner in 2017.

“He was a leader. He was a professional. He was a prankster. He was everything that you look for in a guy to lead the team,” Judge said, speaking slowly and choosing his words carefully. “He took me in at a young age when I first got here and he treated me just like everybody else and showed me respect. He taught me a lot of things. It kind of teaches you how to lead a clubhouse. He had a big influence on me not only on the field but inside this clubhouse, just the way he played the game and the way he held everybody to a standard. Very few guys are made like Brett Gardner.”

Gardner has been in the Yankees' thoughts even more since March 2024, when his youngest son died at age 14 during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Authorities determined carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.

Judge, the team captain, wanted the Yankees to arrive in style after opening 5-1 on their West Coast trip.

“That's Cap, again, setting the tone,” said Ben Rice, who homered and drove in three runs. “Sent us a text late last night saying: `Hey, suits tomorrow.' So everybody was fired up and we were happy to continue that momentum out on the field.”

Trent Grisham reached leading off with the first of 11 walks by Marlins pitchers and Judge drove a slider into the left-field seats against Eury Pérez for a 2-1 lead.

Judge, who had three RBIs, hit a record 20 first-inning home runs last year, when he finished with 53. Three of Judge’s five hits this season have been home runs.

Coming off his third AL MVP award and first batting title, Judge is off to a slow start with a .185 average.

He gave his teammates a scare in the second inning when he was hit below the right wrist by a 98.9 mph fastball from Pérez, one pitch after Grisham's bases-loaded walk.

“I’ve broken my wrist like that, so that’s always the main concern,” Judge said.

Judge missed 45 games after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis on July 26, 2018.

“Felt like he was probably OK but I tend to jump up a little quicker when it’s to him," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to dugout during the fifth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) successfully steals second base during the eighth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielders Cody Bellinger (35), Trent Grisham (12) and Aaron Judge (99) embrace each other after wining a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)