The Military Council recaptured the outposts of Border Guard Forces (BGF) Battalion No. 1004 in the Pantain area of Mese Township and BGF Battalion No. 1005 in the Sukpaing area of Ywarthit Township.
Previously, the joint forces of the Karenni resistance conducted a raid and successfully occupied these two BGF outposts within Karenni State. Accompanied by photo footage as evidence on June 28th, the Military Council reported the recapture of the two bases and the confiscation of weapons.
Colonel Phone Naing, the Adjutant General of the Karenni Army (KA), verified that the resistance forces had indeed withdrawn from the two BGF outposts. "The outpost of BGF 1004, situated near the village of Pantain in Mese Township, saw our troops withdrawing. At present, I can confirm that we have already left two BGF outposts. Due to our retreat, the enemy managed to recapture those outposts. However, I am skeptical about their ability to maintain a long-term deployment in those locations”, Colonel Phone Naing said.
Following intense fighting in Ywarthit Township on June 26th and 27th, the Military Council employed jet fighters to launch airstrikes in the combat zone, locals reported.
On the evening of June 27th, the Karenni defense forces made a strategic retreat from Ywarthit as a response to the Military Council's deployment of air support and intensified shelling. As a result, the Military Council successfully gained control of the BGF outpost.
According to an official statement released by the Military Council, several officers and soldiers from their ranks were killed during the intense clashes. It has also been verified that five members of the resistance joint forces, including Bo Be Re, one of the commanders from the Karenni Army (KA), lost their lives in the conflict.
Following the escalation of fighting in the region, a number of locals have sought refuge in monasteries, while others have taken shelter in the forests.
"At present, the Military Council columns have taken control of their previous (BGF) outposts, and they have prevented the trapped individuals in the monasteries from leaving”, a Ywarthit resident said.
There are rumours circulating that four locals, who attempted to flee from the monastery, were allegedly shot dead by soldiers. However these claims cannot be independently confirmed at this time.
For those seeking refuge in the forest to escape the conflict, there is an urgent need for temporary shelters that can provide them with adequate cover during the rainy season, a displaced individual told Kantarawaddy Times.
"There are multiple necessities we require. Fleeing for our lives, we had no choice but to leave behind kitchen utensils, only carrying the clothes on our backs. When the fighter jets began bombing, we had to flee in haste. At present everyone is sharing the remaining scraps of food we have”, he explained.
Despite the absence of an ongoing battle in the vicinity of Ywarthit on June 25th, the local population was compelled to evacuate due to the air bombardment carried out by the Military Council's Air Force.
On June 24th, Colonel Phone Naing confirmed to Kantarawaddy Times that the Karenni resistance forces successfully seized the Military Council outposts in Mese and Ywarthit near Thailand-Myanmar border and have now gained complete control over the entire Mese Township.
The two BGF outposts that have been recently recaptured by the Military Council, were the bases of BGF Battalion No. 1004 and 1005. In June, there two BGF battalions demonstrated their opposition to the authority of the Military Council by defecting and joining the Karenni resistance forces.
