Villagers from Thingannyinaung Village Tract, in Myawaddy Township, Karen State are fleeing to Myawaddy Town to avoid fighting, as the junta launches offensives to recapture its bases in the village tract.
According to people assisting the displaced people (IDPs) in Myawaddy Town, junta troops launched an offensive from Myawaddy Town to recapture its four bases in Thingannyinaung Village Tract. They are the Thingannyinaung strategic base and the bases of Light Infantry Battalions (LIBs) 355, 356 and 357, which are currently occupied by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied people’s defense forces (PDFs).
A resident of Myawaddy Town who is assisting the IDPs said: “It’s been two days. Hundreds of military troops in uniforms have been advancing into the villages of Paw Law and Than Puyar from the Myawaddy trade zone and along the road behind Ywar Thit Village. They are junta military soldiers. Since their arrival, the villagers have been fleeing to Myawaddy. Including villagers from Ywar Thit, Nyi Nyaung, and Mekanei, who had not yet returned [to their homes]. Now there are about 2,000 IDPs staying in various places around Myawaddy Town. They fled in advance of the fighting starting.
During July 2024 junta troop reinforcements arrived in Myawaddy Town and stationed themselves at the IB 275 base, Thingannyinaung Police Station and trading zones in Myawaddy Town with assistance from the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF). These troops have actively conducting military operations in recent days, according to revolutionary forces in the area.
A villager from Ywar Thit Kone, currently sheltered in Myawaddy town, said: “Because of continuous airstrikes and bombings both YwarThit and Thingannyinaung villages have been set on fire and are now in ruins. We haven’t been able to return for about five months now. We are staying at the Yaepu Monastery and the rubber plantation refugee camp. Now there are reports that the junta military and the BGF are planning to resume attacks on the allied revolutionary forces. We still can’t return home.”
The IDPs in Myawaddy Township are receiving support from the Myawaddy Foundation and local business owners. Junta-aligned Karen armed groups, including the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council (KNU/KNLA PC ( KPC), and the BGF, are also providing the IDPs with food and shelter.
Recently, in Myawaddy and the surrounding areas, the junta, and allied forces such as the BGF, the KPC and the DKBA have been collaborating on security operations such as manning checkpoints and carrying out security inspections.
