According to military sources speaking to AFP on Tuesday, Myanmar's military has returned to a crucial border town they were expelled from earlier this month by a coalition of ethnic rebels and anti-military fighters.
The Karen National Union (KNU) and fighters from the “People’s Defence Force” had forced approximately 200 military soldiers out of their positions in Myawaddy, an important trading center, around April 10, dealing a significant blow to the military rulers.
Following the clashes, the soldiers withdrew to a bridge connecting Myawaddy to Mae Sot, Thailand, causing thousands to flee Myanmar.
The junta's spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP on Tuesday, "Some of our troops have reached the 275 military command" in Myawaddy, referring to the previously abandoned military base.
He mentioned that the military still does not have complete control of Myawaddy and did not confirm any fighting in the town on Tuesday.
Zaw Min Tun stated that there had been casualties on both sides in previous clashes, without providing further details.
AFP has approached a KNU spokesperson for a statement.
A resident of Myawaddy reported that the town seemed calm on Tuesday.
Another military source, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media, informed AFP that the troops had reclaimed the 275 base on Tuesday.
According to residents, the military has carried out airstrikes around Myawaddy in recent days and has sent reinforcements towards the town.
Zaw Min Tun stated that fighting is ongoing around the town of Kawkareik, which is situated on the route to Myawaddy. He added that the military now controls the town itself.
The Karen State Border Guard Force, a local military-aligned militia that holds much control over Myawaddy, declared earlier this year that it would no longer follow orders from the junta.
It is unclear what role it played in the recent fighting around Myawaddy. AFP was unable to contact the group for a statement.
The conflict in Myanmar, triggered by the military's coup in 2021, regularly forces people to flee across the 2,400-kilometre (1,490-mile) border with Thailand.
Thailand’s foreign minister visited Mae Sot on Tuesday and called for an end to the clashes.
The junta seized power in the February 2021 coup, removing Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, ending a period of democracy, and throwing the Southeast Asian nation into chaos.
The coup reignited conflict with ethnic rebel groups and gave rise to numerous new “People’s Defence Forces” that experts say have caught the military off guard with their effectiveness.
The fighting has displaced over 2.5 million people, as reported by the United Nations.
Agence France-Presse
