MYANMAR junta’s last stronghold in Myawaddy, Infantry Battalion 275 Pha Song base, fell to the fighters of Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and their allies after heavy attack with around 200 soldiers having fled to take shelter opposite Thailand’s Mae Sot district, Naewna newspaper said this morning (Apr. 11).
At 5 a.m.fighters from 28th, 6th, 19th, 101th and 7th battalions of KNLA, which is the armed wing of Karen National Union (KNU), Border Guard Force that has converted into Karen National Army, People’s Defence Force (PDF) and the Cobra Column, a special operation unit of KNLA and PDF, moved in to clear Pha Song camp after Myanmar soldiers split up to retreat at 00.50 a.m. last night.
The joint anti-junta forces had used four drones and heavy weapons in their two-day attack including 81mm and 120mm medium to heavy mortars, RPG rockets and 105mm Howitzers.
A large amount of Myanmar junta weapons was seized including drones.
It was report that soldiers from Tatmadaw Infantry Battalion 275 and front section of Light Infantry Battalion 44, totalling more than 200, had fled to the northern side of the Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge opposite Ban Wang Takhian, Tha Sai Luat subdistrict, Mae Sot district on the Thai side.
Myanmar junta once again suffered a loss even though MiG-29s carried out airstrikes and armoured vehicles were sent to support their troops at this camp.
It is expected that KNLA and their allies will soon be organising units to follow and again engage the fleeing Tatmadaw troops.
CAPTION:
Flames from the fighting in Myanmar’s Myawaddy town seen from Thailand’s Mae Sot town last night. Photo: Naewna
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