A resistance group fighting against Burma's military rule successfully repelled an attempt by junta troops to advance on the key town of Myawaddy along the Thai border. The town was seized by rebels last week, and reinforcements of junta forces had been trying to advance on Myawaddy for days but were pushed back in a battle about 40 kilometers away.
The Karen National Union (KNU) spokesperson, Saw Taw Nee, stated that the KNU's forces had been blocking and intercepting the junta troops, making it difficult for them to advance. The KNU-led coalition of anti-junta forces took control of Myawaddy from military rule on Thursday.
Fighting between the villages of Kawkareik and Kaw Nwet along the main Asian Highway 1 resulted in casualties on the junta's side, with an estimated toll of around 100 deaths and injuries. The KNU spokesperson mentioned the loss of one armed carrier and a military truck during the clashes.
Since the military coup in 2021, Burma has been in turmoil, with widespread protests against the junta's rule. The resistance movement, now operating in coordination with ethnic rebel groups, aims to challenge the military across the country.
Saw Taw Nee emphasized the need for coordination among various groups to defeat the military and highlighted the challenges of working within a broad anti-junta coalition. He also expressed concerns for the more than one million displaced people within KNU territories and called for international support, including from neighboring Thailand.
The KNU spokesperson urged Burma's junta to recognize their military setbacks as a signal to return power to the people. He emphasized the importance of listening to the people and not wasting any more time in restoring democracy.
