YANGON: Masses of Myanmar villagers have fled to Thailand after junta troops clashed with an ethnic revolt team, officers instructed AFP the day past. Preventing between Karen Nationwide Union (KNU) and the army broke out on Wednesday within the the city of Lay Kay Kaw close to the Thai border-the first such clashes in months. The day prior to this, footage through native media confirmed dozens of other folks lining as much as go a river that bureaucracy a part of the border.
A Thai govt reliable in Tak province who spoke on situation of anonymity instructed AFP 700 other folks had crossed the border, and can be given meals and refuge. Naw Okay’nyaw Paw, basic secretary on the Karen Ladies’s Group, instructed AFP that greater than 1,000 have been allowed to go after neighborhood leaders negotiated with Thai government.
“I heard small hands fireplace and heavy artillery,” mentioned one native from a village close to Lay Kay Kaw.
“Extra other folks have arrived in our village and there are about 3,000 hiding right here now.” The clashes broke out on Wednesday, an afternoon after state media reported junta troops entered KNU territory and arrested a number of dissidents, together with a former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s ousted govt.
The crowd’s warring parties had since injured and killed junta troops, mentioned Padoh Noticed Thamain Tun of the KNU, with out offering main points. AFP may just now not examine the claims and the junta didn’t reply to requests for remark.
The KNU has been a vocal opponent of the coup and equipped refuge to dissidents running to oust the junta. Its warring parties have clashed sporadically with the Myanmar army alongside the Thai border.
In March, its warring parties seized an army publish and the military retaliated with air raids, the 1st in additional than two decades in Karen state. Myanmar has greater than 20 ethnic revolt teams, lots of whom dangle territories within the nation’s border areas. —AFP