unsaveSave
expand-left
fullscreen Refugees from eastern Myanmar making their way to Thailand. Photo: Warangkana Wanichachewa/AP/TT
Intense fighting in a town in eastern Myanmar on the border with Thailand has forced around 1,300 residents to flee to the neighboring country. Renewed firefights and airstrikes have broken out between the rebels who seized the town of Myawaddy and the military junta’s army.
The rebels belong to the Karen ethnic group, and according to officials, the rebels attacked army soldiers hiding at a strategically important bridge over the Moei River between the two countries.
The flight from the area began already on Friday when fighting broke out and continued during Saturday’s clashes.
The recent forced retreat of the military junta’s army from the city is seen as a victory for the armed resistance.
At the same time, Thailand is warning of a growing number of refugees from Myanmar. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces that humanitarian aid efforts to the region are to be expanded.