Conflict intensifies in eastern Myanmar

Fighting in Myanmar is getting worse as Karen fighters and pro-democracy forces are battling with soldiers for control of a trading town near Thailand. Witnesses saw it happening on Wednesday.

The capture of Myawaddy, an important trade area in Myanmar, would be a big loss for the army fighting against the resistance groups trying to overthrow the government.

The fighting has worried officials in Bangkok because they are afraid it could force many people to leave their homes and go to another country. The Foreign Minister of Thailand, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, said on Tuesday that Thailand can provide safe temporary shelter for around 100,000 people.

Myawaddy is located across the Moei River from the Mae Sot district. In the past, Mae Sot has helped villagers escape from fighting.

Even though Myanmar’s army is strong, it has been defending itself since October when three rebel groups attacked in the northeast. Rebel fighters have taken control of big parts of land in the northern Shan state near China. They have also made progress in Rakhine state in the west. They are also putting pressure on the army in other areas.

Last week, a group of people who support democracy attacked the airport in Myanmar’s capital city with a drone. Some damage happened, showing that the military government, which took control in 2021 by removing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, is in a weak position and is now involved in a war within the country.

The Karen National Union, which represents the Karen ethnic group, announced last week that its armed group, the Karen National Liberation Army, and their pro-democracy supporters, took control of a military base at Thin Gan Nyi Naung on the way to Myawaddy.

Over 600 security forces and their families have given up.

A reporter talking about the fighting said that the pro-democracy fighters attacked a military base on Tuesday night. It was about 4 kilometers to the west of Myawaddy.

The military attacked from the air and fired shells. The journalist didn’t want to be identified because they were afraid of getting arrested by the fighting groups. He said the guerrillas also attacked the army unit in Lay Kay Kaw, a small town in the south of Myawaddy township, on Wednesday.

Three people in Myawaddy, who live close to Infantry Battalion 275 base, said they went to Buddhist monasteries for safety when the fighting got worse on Tuesday.

The people who live there said that three fighter jets bombed the fighting areas and nearby villages during the night and in the morning.

Two more people living in Myawaddy said some people from the town were running into Mae Sot in Thailand, but many others were still working as usual even though there is fighting near the town.

A person from Myawaddy crossed into Mae Sot on Tuesday to avoid the bombing. She saw that officers were still working at the bridge. All the people in the area didn’t want to share their names because they were worried about their safety.

The Irrawaddy, an online news outlet in Myanmar, said on Tuesday that a group of armed Karen people who are not part of the Karen National Union were protecting the bridges in Myanmar.

The Border Guard Force in Kayin state used to be part of the military, but they recently decided to break away and become their own independent group called the Karen National Army.