Thousands of locals have fled to Thailand after the offensives by the joint Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) on the remaining troops of the Infantry Battalion 275 – the junta’s Myawaddy town guard – on Myanmar-Thailand, according to reports.
In addition, on 20 April, a Y-12 type plane bombarded the areas around the Friendship Bridge 2 and Yay Pu Kone Ward in Myawaddy, causing more locals to flee across the border into Thailand, according to ground sources.
A KNLA soldier said, “The Y-12 plane has been circling for a long time. Over the west of Yay Pu and around Friendship Bridge 2. Since it’s a spotter plane, it doesn’t move at jet speeds. It can just circle within its territory. It has been circling since morning and still dropping bombs until now. Our troops are also near the bridge area but had to take cover when the aircraft came to drop bombs.”
The joint KNLA forces have been attacking the remaining members of the junta’s Infantry Battalion 275 garrisoned in Myawaddy since 20 April night with drone bombs and firing, prompting the aerial support from the junta side, he said.
By the afternoon of 20 April, with nearly 40 bombs dropped by the junta aircraft, around 300 locals from Ward 5, Yay Pu Kone and War Taw wards in Myawaddy crossed the river to flee to Thailand, according to sources.
The joint KNLA forces were also attempting to completely overrun the junta troops stationed near the Friendship Bridge 2, having captured some alive, killed others, while airstrikes targeted those trying to flee, according to sources close to the KNLA.
The junta side has not released any statements regarding the situation in Myawaddy, and attempts were still being made to confirm their casualties.
On 19 April, joint KNLA forces also ambushed junta troops reinforcing via the Kyone Doe Chaung Phyar and Nabu routes, prompting the junta to conduct air strikes on nearby villages, causing civilian casualties and widespread displacement, according to accounts of locals.
The KNLA and allied resistance forces said they had killed around 100 junta troops in intense clashes to prevent the junta force of around 500 from reaching Myawaddy town.
Sent by KIC.