Burmese and Karen forces battled one another for seven hours yesterday, close to the border between Myanmar and Thailand’s northern Tak province. It was the second day of consecutive preventing between the Burmese junta army, and the Karen National Liberation Army alongside Myanmar’s People’s Defence Force.
The Burmese army had arrived in a Karen space aiming to seize it, but the KNLA and its allies were ready. The KNLA and PDF forces ambushed the Burmese troops, and a fierce battle broke out. The Burmese troops fired heavy mortars on the Karens, who fought again with heavy machine weapons.
As with many similar incidents prior to now, a number of Karen villagers crossed into Thailand to flee the combating. About 188 villagers slipped into Tak’s Popphra district, managing to search out shelter in a temple there. Thai safety forces count on the clashes to proceed, and if the state of affairs worsens, for more refugees to flood into Thailand.
This news comes after a Burmese fighter jet bombed a Karen village earlier this month, additionally close to the Thai border. Two villagers had been killed, three have been wounded, and 92 have been forced to flee to Thailand. Mold of those that fled were girls and youngsters.
The Karen hill tribe in Myanmar and a number of other other minority groups have been preventing for greater autonomy since Myanmar gained independence in 1948..