More than 1400 locals from Thae Baw Boe have forced to displaced and taken refuge in areas along the banks of the Thaungyin River due to artillery bombardments and airstrikes by the Military Council, which is trying to recapture the Thae Baw Boe military base south of Myawaddy.

The Thae Baw Boe base, which had been under the control of the Military Council for about 30 years, was captured on May 18 by KNLA (Karen National Liberation Army).  It has become a prime objective for the Tatmadaw command to recapture the camp and is attacking in two columns.

A Thae Baw Boe villager commented, “The Military Council troops from Sone See Myaing Village,Waw Lay Road, Baleldo Village Hill and Three Snakes Pagoda Hill are attacking day and night by firing artillery and a series of rockets. The stepped up military operations to regain the camp, has driven the internally displaced peoples (IDPs) from the temporary refugee camps to seek a safe relocation along the river.”

However “the Military Council was suffering heavy casualties due to fierce counterattacks by the KNLA and partner forces,” a battlefield source commented.

He elaborated “ There are battles every day. The Military Council is trying to retake the camp at the entrance of Thae Baw Boe village, resulting in clashes with Karen armed groups. Because of the fighting, people no longer dare to live in temporary tents in the upper areas of the Thaungyin River. The students of the village high school also have to take shelter in separate places. Everyone wasafraid as the warplanes could drop bombs at any time”.

He continued, “Many troops were killed or wounded. Until now they have to retreat every time they attack. Then they fired a series of rockets. It is impossible for them to transport all the wounded back to Myawaddy. There were no doctors at the Tactical Operation Command Center in Waw Lay. So some wounded Military Council soldiers attend Thai hospitals as civilians”.

The Military Council has been on the offensive for almost a year in an attempt to gain territorial control over the areas along the Myawaddy-Waw Lay Road, located south of Myawaddy, but it has not been able to control the road, and the fighting continues.