BANGKOK (AP) – Guerrilla fighters from Myanmar’s Karen ethnic minority on Monday closed off a major trade border with Thailand, as soldiers and civil servants loyal to the junta appear to be preparing to give up their positions. They claimed that they were close to taking control of the city.
The capture of Myawaddy town by the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), appears imminent as guerrillas occupy or besiege strategic military outposts on the town’s outskirts, the KNU said. a spokesperson and members said Monday.
Members of the Karen National Liberation Army and People’s Defense Forces interrogate two soldiers who were arrested after occupying an army outpost in southern Myawaddy District, Karen State, Myanmar, on March 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Metro)
Ethnic rebels claim entire Burmese army battalion has surrendered to them
Myawaddy, in Kayin state, is Myanmar’s most active trading hub with Thailand, and its fall is the latest in a series suffered by the military since October last year, when a coalition of three other ethnic rebel groups launched an offensive in Myanmar. It would be the latest in a series of shocking defeats. northeast of the country. Over the past five months, the military has been routed in northern Shan state, ceding control of several border crossings, and has escalated attacks in western Rakhine state.
The military government, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has admitted it is under pressure and recently introduced conscription to build up its military.
The conflict across Myanmar began after the military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and cracked down on widespread nonviolent protests calling for a return to democratic rule. .
Three residents of Myawaddy town, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of being arrested by either warring side, told The Associated Press by phone that they had not heard any sounds of fighting outside since Sunday afternoon. Most residents were working as usual, but others said they were preparing to flee across the border to Mae Sot in Thailand. Two of them said they had not seen members of government security forces since Sunday.
The situation was highlighted on Sunday night when Myanmar Airways made an unscheduled flight from Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, to Mae Sot. Thai media reported that the plane had received permission from Thai authorities to evacuate people from Myawaddy. It is not clear whether the fugitives, believed to be soldiers or civil servants loyal to Myanmar’s military junta, have already crossed the border into Thailand.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that three flights (one daily from Sunday to Tuesday) on the Yangon-Mae Sot route carrying passengers and cargo have been approved. The Myanmar government subsequently canceled the request for the remaining two flights.
The Thai government is closely monitoring the situation along the border and is ready to take all necessary measures to maintain peace and order and protect the safety of people along the border, the ministry said.
During fighting along the border, Thailand has typically given temporary shelter to Myanmar villagers. Approximately 87,000 people also live in nine long-term refugee camps.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the KNU, the leading political group of the Karen minority, said Friday that armed groups and pro-democracy forces in the country had attacked the army in Shin Gan Nyinaung, along the road to Myawaddy. They announced that they had captured the base. It has served as the military’s regional headquarters for nearly 60 years.
It was announced that 617 members of the security forces and their families had surrendered. The KNU posted photos of weapons it claimed to have confiscated and captured military personnel and their families who were evacuated to the school.
Two Karen guerrillas participating in the group’s attack told The Associated Press on Monday that they had surrounded an army post responsible for security in the town and an artillery battalion in the south, about 4 kilometers (3 miles) west of Myawaddy. Told. The people, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release information, said surrender negotiations were underway.
They also said the Karen control about 60 to 70 percent of Myawaddy township and are almost certain to capture the town itself after the two bases surrender or are overrun.
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The Karen people, like other ethnic minorities living in border areas, have been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government.
After the military seized power in 2021, fighting between the military and Karen ethnic armed groups intensified. Several rebel groups, including the Karen ethnic group, have formed loose alliances with pro-democracy militias since the military took over, and have also provided refuge to civilians opposed to the military government.
