Hundreds Escape from Myanmar to Thailand After Rebel Attacks

(MENAFN) Hundreds, including over 100 soldiers from Myanmar’s military regime, escaped into Thailand after ethnic Karen forces seized multiple army outposts in eastern Myanmar over the weekend, according to local media and Thai officials.

Violent confrontations erupted late Saturday when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) launched a coordinated assault on junta-held positions in Karen State, as reported by Thai media on Sunday.

Thailand’s military confirmed that approximately 100 Myanmar soldiers crossed the border, where they were disarmed, given medical care, and processed according to international standards.

In addition, Thai authorities reported that over 400 civilians also fled the fighting and were moved to secure shelters inside Thailand.

This isn't the first such incident—back in May, 62 junta troops reportedly fled into Thailand under similar conditions after insurgents attacked military checkpoints near the frontier.
Inside Myanmar, the conflict continues to escalate. On Friday, an airstrike hit a monastery in the Sagaing Region, reportedly killing at least 30 people, further intensifying the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis.

The KNLA, one of Myanmar’s most prominent ethnic armed groups, has been fighting for Karen self-determination since 1949. Its operations are primarily concentrated in Karen State, a region long plagued by conflict in southern and southeastern Myanmar.

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