1 month ago
A guidance group fighting Burma's subject norm said connected Sunday its fighters had repelled an effort by junta troops to beforehand connected nan cardinal municipality of Myawaddy on nan Thai separator that was seized by nan rebels past week.
Reinforcements of junta forces person been trying to beforehand connected Myawaddy for days, but were pushed backmost successful a conflict astir 40 kilometers away, a spokesperson for nan Karen National Union (KNU), Saw Taw Nee, said successful an interview.
"It is not easy to travel here. They look a batch of difficulty," he told Reuters, saying nan KNU's forces had been "blocking and intercepting" nan junta troops.
THAI FOREIGN MINISTER URGES BURMA'S MILITARY TO AVOID VIOLENT ATTACK ON BORDER TOWN ITS ARMY LOST
The KNU accusation could not beryllium independently confirmed. A spokesperson for nan subject junta that seized powerfulness from an elected authorities successful 2021 did not reply calls from Reuters.
The separator municipality of Myawaddy, adjacent to Thailand, was wrested from subject power by a conjugation of anti-junta forces led by nan KNU connected Thursday.
Fighting took spot connected Friday betwixt nan villages of Kawkareik and Kaw Nwet on nan main Asian Highway 1 starring westbound from nan Thai border, Saw Taw Nee said.
A worker from nan Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) carries an RPG launcher astatine a Burma subject guidelines astatine Thing Naga Nyi Naung colony connected nan outskirts of Myawaddy, nan Thailand-Burma separator municipality nether nan power of a conjugation of rebel forces led by nan Karen National Union, successful Burma connected April 15, 2024. (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)
The KNU spokesperson said accusation received from nan beforehand statement put nan junta's toll of deaths and injuries from nan fighting astatine astir 100. "We cognize that they suffered a nonaccomplishment of 1 equipped bearer and a subject truck," he said.
Burma has been successful turmoil since 2021, erstwhile nan powerful subject deposed an elected civilian government, triggering wide protests it sought to crush pinch force.
Simmering anger against nan junta turned into a nationwide equipped guidance activity that is now increasingly operating successful coordination pinch established taste rebel groups to situation nan subject crossed ample parts of Burma.
Saw Taw Nee said nan guidance "will return time". "We request to person a benignant of coordination pinch different groups… to conclusion nan military," he said.
The KNU spokesperson said location were besides challenges moving successful a wide anti-junta coalition.
"We are still successful nan process of really to negotiate, really to travel together and really to move guardant among our Karen groups," he said, referring to members of nan taste group domiciled chiefly successful Kayin State.
Saw Taw Nee said nan contiguous interest for nan KNU is nan much than 1 cardinal displaced group wrong its territories, and called connected nan world community, including neighboring Thailand, to supply support.
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"We really request to activity together successful nan early much and much connected this issue," he said.
He urged Burma's junta to spot their caller subject setbacks arsenic a motion that they should manus backmost powerfulness to nan people.
"Please don’t discarded clip anymore," he said. "This is nan time, and a bully opportunity, to perceive to group first."
