Editing Pol Pot (section)

=== Final years ===
Though he had formally left the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot still maintained a number of loyal followers. By June 1997, he had grown suspicious of [[Son Sen]] and ordered his death. Khmer Rouge cadres subsequently killed Sen and 13 of his family members and aides; Pol Pot later stated that he had not sanctioned all of these killings.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/14/world/brutal-end-for-an-architect-of-cambodian-brutality.html Brutal End for an Architect of Cambodian Brutality], ''The New York Times''</ref> [[Ta Mok]] was concerned that Pol Pot could turn on him too. Mok rallied troops loyal to him at Anlong Veng, informing them that Pol Pot had betrayed their movement and then headed to Kbal Ansoang. Fearing Mok's troops, on 12 June Pol Pot, his family, and several bodyguards fled on foot. Pol Pot was very frail and had to be carried. After Mok's troops apprehended them, Pol Pot was placed under house arrest.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Thayer Nate Thayer] became the second journalist from the West to interview the tyrannical dictator in October 1997, while he was under house arrest. During the interview he showed aggression whenever challenged by Thayer and would often attempt to justify his inept actions during his brutal four year reign (though he did admit mistakes were made and that he wished he could have done more to limit the killings).<ref>[https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/cambodia-khmerrouge-thayer-01062023142454.html INTERVIEW: Pol Pot was 'strikingly charming ... until we began to talk'], ''Radio Free Asia''</ref>

Ta Mok agreed to turn Pol Pot over to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia in 1998 to stand trial for crimes he committed during his rule of Cambodia. He died from heart failure on April 15<sup>th</sup>, 1998 at the age of 72.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/17/world/death-pol-pot-pol-pot-brutal-dictator-who-forced-cambodians-killing-fields-dies.html DEATH OF POL POT; Pol Pot, Brutal Dictator Who Forced Cambodians to Killing Fields, Dies at 73], ''The New York Times''</ref> Many, including Nate Thayer, believed his death was a drug related suicide as he was fearful of being convicted of his heinous crimes<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/jan/21/cambodia Pol Pot ‘killed himself with drugs’], ''The Guardian''</ref>, another version of the facts is that he was assassinated by order of Ta Mok before being delivered to justice, in fact Ta Mok refused to have an autopsy performed.