Key cities in eastern Myanmar on the border with Thailand, where one of the armed opposition structures, the Karen National Union (KNU), negotiated the surrender of hundreds of Myanmar troops, came under rebel control. UCA News reported this on April 8.
Earlier, late in the afternoon of April 5, the KNU announced that it had accepted the surrender of the battalion based in Tananyinaung City.
The Myanmar border town of Myawaddy borders the Thai province of Mae Sothom and is a key hub for the movement of goods to and from Myanmar, as well as for trade with Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, about 400 kilometers from distance.
“There were not many people injured because the military surrendered and about 700 soldiers and their families were transported to safety. The People’s Defense Forces currently control more than 40 percent of Myawaddy, but airstrikes by junta planes continue.”the source said.
The army cut phone and internet lines in Myawaddy, forcing locals to rely on Thailand for Wi-Fi connections. Overall, the KNU and its Karen National Liberation Army consolidated and “rejoiced and celebrated” their victory.
The loss of control of the Myawaddy border stretch is a serious blow to the military junta, which has already suffered a series of military defeats since the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAO) and PDF launched an offensive about five months ago.
The EAO and PDF, the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG), managed to surround the army under General Min Aung Hlaing around the Yangon-Naypyidaw corridor. Hlaing took control of the country in early 2021, sparking a civil war.
Elsewhere, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) continued its clearing after taking control of the junta’s last outpost along a 60 kilometer stretch of road leading to the Chinese border in Kachin state. .
They also said they had captured the Gantak camp after three days of attacks on the Bhamo-Mandalay highway.
The Arakan Army, which operates in the west of the country, added that at the end of April 5, after five days of attacks, it had captured the headquarters of the 564th Light Infantry Battalion in Buthidaung township, in the state of Rakhine. According to them, more than 80 junta soldiers were killed.
EAO-PDF’s latest diplomatic victory was UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ appointment of former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as UN special envoy for Myanmar. The appointment follows a request from Britain last month.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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