Myawaddy: Around 200 Myanmar soldiers have retreated to the Friendship Bridge that connects the border town of Myawaddy to Thailand, as they face continuous attacks from anti-coup forces.
This withdrawal is a clear indication of the mounting tension among the military generals who took over the government in a coup in February 2021. The coup sparked an armed insurgency after protection powers started using violence to suppress delicate anti-coup protests.
The Karen National Union (KNU), an ethnic armed group, announced on Facebook that they defeated the 275 battalion, the remaining major military force in the town, in their attack on Myawaddy. They also shared pictures of the weapons they seized after the soldiers withdrew.
According to Saw Taw Nee, a KNU spokesperson, about 200 soldiers retreated to the bridge. Myawaddy is a strategically important town situated just across the border from Thailand’s Mae Sot. The Myanmar commerce ministry estimated that over $1 billion in trade was enacted through the crossing in the 12 months to April.
The generals in Myanmar encountered increasing pressure since an alliance of ethnic armed groups launched an offensive in October, reinvigorating the opposition and leading to significant clashes throughout the country. As a result, the military lost control of numerous military posts and towns in border areas.
Recently, around 600 Myanmar soldiers and their families fled Myawaddy amid reports that the military requested Thailand to allow them into the country to fly to safety. The latest surge in fighting has caused at least 2,000 people to be displaced within Myanmar, according to the Karen Peace Support Network. Hundreds of people were seen queueing to cross into Thailand in an attempt to escape the violence.
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