The Myanmar rebel group confirmed that it had withdrawn from Myawaddy, a town bordering Thailand, after the army counterattacked.
Sources familiar with military information said on April 23 that the Myanmar army had returned to the border town of Myawaddy, where its forces were pushed back by the Karen National Union (KNU) rebel group earlier this month.
Myanmar military government spokesman Zaw Min Tun said on the same day that “some of our soldiers have arrived at the headquarters of battalion 275”, referring to the military base in Myawaddy town.
On April 24, KNU spokesman Saw Taw Nee announced that rebel forces had “temporarily withdrawn” from Myawaddy town. “KNLA troops will defeat government troops and regional militias that have marched toward Myawaddy,” Mr. Saw Taw Nee said, referring to the group’s armed branch.
Location of Myawaddy town. Graphics: Irrawady
On April 10, the KNU forced 200 Myanmar army soldiers to leave their positions in Myawaddy. Last weekend, rebels continued to attack government soldiers hiding under the friendship bridge connecting Myawaddy with the Thai town of Mae Sot. Fighting forced 3,000 civilians to evacuate in just one day.
Thailand said on April 24 that the fighting had cooled down and the country hoped the border gate would reopen. Thai officials added that most Myanmar civilians have returned, while 650 people remain in Thailand.
“The situation has improved significantly. However, we are closely monitoring the situation, which is uncertain and subject to change,” Thai official Nikorndej Balankura said.
Thai officials on April 22 announced that the country is ready to mediate negotiations between the Myanmar military government and rebel forces. Thailand shares a 2,400 km long border with Myanmar.
Myawaddy town has a very important position with the Myanmar military government. The estimated value of trade through Myawaddy in the past 12 months is 1.1 billion USD, according to Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce.
KNLA rebels at their base in Thingyan Nyi Naung village, on the outskirts of Myawaddy town, Myanmar, on April 15. Image: Reuters
Ngoc Anh (According to Reuters/AFP)
