The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and resistance allies seized Myanmar junta’s Infantry Battalion 355 headquarters and a police station in Myawaddy Township on the Thai border on Saturday.
The KNLA, the armed wing of the Karen National Union, and its allies had been attacking Thingannyinaung village since Thursday morning and the base and police station fell on Saturday.
Thingannyinaung is between the border town of Myawaddy and Kawkareik on the important Asia Highway to Thailand.
Nearby infantry battalions 356 and 357 are currently under attack, a resistance fighter told The Irrawaddy.
The junta responded to the attacks with airstrikes and shelling.
“We are now fighting to seize Infantry Battalion 356. Most of the soldiers have fled the base and just a few remain. The troops from 355 and 356 ran to Battalion 357 to fight back,” he said.
Around 100 junta bombs hit the village during the three days of clashes and destroyed almost 60 homes.
About 50 regime bombardments happened on Friday and only about 60 civilians remain, a resident told The Irrawaddy.
“Almost all villagers have left with some remaining to take care of their properties,” a resident said.
Thingannyinaung had almost 3,000 civilian households and around 7,000 residents, almost all of whom have fled to Myawaddy and nearby villages, he added.
On Friday, a junta bomb killed two residents and injured eight others in nearby Thingan Nyi Naung village.
Anti-regime forces by Saturday afternoon had suffered five deaths and two casualties while junta losses are unknown.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at least 4,654 civilians have been killed and 26,228 detained by the junta.
