About 200 Myanmar military personnel withdrew to a bridge to Thailand on Thursday after a days-long assault by the anti-junta resistance, which claimed to have won control of the critical border town of Myawaddy. The military-run government in Myanmar is facing insurgencies on multiple fronts and has experienced a series of defeats in frontier areas since last October when rebel groups launched a coordinated offensive near the Chinese border. The country has been in turmoil since the military deposed an elected civilian government in a 2021 coup, leading to a nationwide armed resistance that is now working alongside established ethnic rebel groups like the Karen National Union (KNU).
A spokesperson for Myanmar’s National Unity Government, a shadow administration of ousted lawmakers and anti-junta groups, announced the capture of the remaining military base in Myawaddy. This victory is deemed crucial for the revolution since Myawaddy is a significant border town for the junta and a key source of income from border trade. The retreat of junta troops in Myawaddy, adjacent to the Thai town of Mae Sot, signifies a potential loss of another essential border trading outpost with direct highway access to central Myanmar. Around 200 fleeing Myanmar soldiers gathered at a border crossing into Thailand, where they were in discussions with Thai authorities about seeking refuge.
The assault on Myawaddy began after the KNU attacked a junta camp near the town, leading to the surrender of 500 security personnel along with their families. The military has already lost control of areas along Myanmar’s borders with Bangladesh, China, and India, and has introduced a draft for the first time due to significant losses of manpower. Political analysts predict that the resistance forces might target major towns across Myanmar in the future, as they now control almost all border trading posts following the recent takeover in Myawaddy. Border crossings in the area remained open to civilians, with many arriving in Thailand from Myanmar in large numbers.
Thai authorities have been in discussions with the fleeing Myanmar soldiers to determine whether they will be granted refuge. Thailand’s military has increased security on its side of the border using army vehicles equipped with machine guns, and the Thai Prime Minister has emphasized the importance of ensuring that the recent fighting does not spill into Thailand’s airspace. Thailand remains neutral in the Myanmar conflict and has stated that it can accommodate up to 100,000 people displaced by the turmoil. At least 2,000 people have been displaced within Myanmar by the latest round of fighting between the rebels and the military, as reported by the civil society group Karen Peace Support Network. The situation in Myanmar remains volatile, with ongoing clashes between the military and resistance forces in various regions of the country.
