Three soldiers of the Burmese Army were killed and seven, including a captain, were injured when the Karen National Liberation Army's (KNLA) 201 battalion ambushed Burmese Army troops, during a change of duty twice, today and yesterday in Wal Lay area, Myawaddy district in Karen State.

Yesterday, soldiers of the KNLA 201 battalion ambushed troops of the Infantry Battalion 97 of the Burmese Army, which came for a change of duty with Infantry Battalion 275, under the southeast military command in Maw Hke military camp, Wal Lay area, at around 3 pm.

The KNLA's 201 battalion also ambushed Burma Army's Light Infantry Battalion 403, under Military Operation Command 8 (MOC 8) based in Kanaelay military camp, at about 6 am this morning. Four troopers of the Burmese Army were injured in the ambush, said Major Saw Kyi Aung, deputy battalion commander of KNLA's 201 battalion.

"Yesterday, we exchanged gun fire with IB 97 around 3 p.m. near the hill side west of Kanaelay village. Three soldiers of the Burmese Army were killed and three injured. Again, we exchanged fire with LIB 403 near Kanaelay village this morning. Four soldiers including a captain were wounded. Our troopers were not injured," Maj Saw Kyi Aung said.

Despite the gun battles between the Burmese Army and KNLA near the village, the army has not arrested any villager. However, more than 30 villagers from Kanaelay village including the village headman were forced to go with Infantry Battalion 275 when it went back from Maw Hke military camp to its headquarter in Maylamyaing after changing duty with Infantry Battalion 97. It is because Infantry Battalion 275 was worried about the KNLA's ambush that it went back to the headquarters.

Locals said the injured soldiers in the ambush were sent to Myawaddy hospital. However, a staff from the Myawaddy hospital told KIC that no injured soldiers had arrived in the hospital till this afternoon.

A border source said the junta sent five battalions to Wal Lay area through Pa-an – Myawaddy vehicle road last week.

KNLA's 201 battalion, DKBA's brigade 5, which has rejected transformation to BGF and battalions under southeast military command and MOC 8 from the Burmese Army are deployed in Wal Lay area which is 120 kilometres from Maesot, Thailand.