GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (AFP) – Tensions between Guatemala and Belize over a disputed border area rose on Thursday when Guatemala’s Government said it suspected Belize soldiers were behind the killing of a teenage boy overnight.

Defence Minister William Mansilla told reporters that 30 security personnel, including soldiers, had been deployed to the area where the 15-year-old boy was shot dead, and his brother and father wounded by bullets.

He said soldiers from Belize were suspected in the attack on the family, who had been walking back to their home from field labour near the north-western village of San Jose Las Flores.

Contacted by AFP for comment, a Belize Government spokeswoman said her country would issue a statement on the Guatemalan allegations later Thursday.

Guatemala has territorial claims over its small neighbour dating back to when Belize was a British colony known as British Honduras.  

Although Belize became independent in 1981, Guatemala did not recognise it for another decade because of its claims, prompting Britain to keep a small military presence there as a deterrent until five years ago.

Both nations have agreed to take the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice – but only after each has held a referendum, the dates of which have not been set.