Hundreds flee to Thailand as Myanmar ethnic fighters strike military bases

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Hundreds of people, including more than 100 Myanmar junta soldiers, fled into Thailand after ethnic Karen fighters overran military bases in eastern Myanmar over the weekend, according to local media and Thai officials.

The clashes broke out late Saturday when fighters from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) launched attacks on junta-controlled bases in Karen State, Thai Examiner reported Sunday.

Thailand’s military confirmed that around 100 Myanmar soldiers had crossed into Thai territory, where they were disarmed, treated for injuries and processed in line with international protocols.

Thai officials said more than 400 civilians also fled across the border and were relocated to safe shelters on the Thai side.

In May, 62 Myanmar soldiers reportedly fled to Thailand under similar circumstances following rebel attacks on checkpoints near the border.

Meanwhile, reports from inside Myanmar said at least 30 people were killed Friday in a deadly airstrike on a monastery in Sagaing Region, deepening the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The KNLA has been fighting for the self-determination of the Karen people since 1949. The group is among Myanmar’s largest ethnic armed organizations and operates primarily in Karen State, a conflict-ridden region in the country’s south and southeast.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid