Myanmar’s junta conducted airstrikes near the Second Friendship Bridge to Mae Sot in Thailand throughout Saturday to support its remaining forces as fresh fighting resumed in Myawaddy.
The Karen National Liberation Army and its allies attacked around 150 junta soldiers who sheltered near the bridge on Myanmar’s side by dropping bombs with drones on Friday night and launched attacks on Saturday morning to take full control of the town.
The Infantry Battalion 275 troops are the regime’s last soldiers in Myawaddy, Karen State. The troops fled their base on April 10 and sheltered near the bridge and refused to surrender.
Anti-regime forces earlier attacked junta troops advancing on Myawaddy via Kawkareik Township as part of Operation Aung Zeya, which aims to retake the town. The convoy was stopped and more than 100 regime casualties were reported.
A resistance fighter involved in the fighting told The Irrawaddy on Saturday that junta troops had suffered casualties since Friday night and had scattered to surrounding villages.
“Out of 150 soldiers, only 70 will be left,” he estimated, adding that the anti-regime groups will continue to chase them.
The junta responded with airstrikes with residents reporting bombing throughout Saturday.
An Irrawaddy reporter in Mae Sot said more than 150 bombs had been dropped by junta fighter jets with smoke rising above the bridge.
At least seven bombs fell near Thai soldiers deployed along the border.
Thousands of people crossed the Moei River into Thailand on Saturday. The Thai media group Khaosod reported that around 1,200 refugees were taken to two temporary shelters at Bann Wang Takian Tai in Mae Sot District on Saturday.
Residents reported casualties in Myawaddy from junta airstrikes.
A resident told The Irrawaddy that fighting started overnight and junta fighter jets started bombing soon after.
“Most people near the bridge have fled,” he said.
Another resident said civilians fleeing in two vehicles were reportedly caught in shooting and five were killed. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the report.
Myawaddy is particularly important to the junta, with more than US$1.1 billion worth of trade passing through the town in the 12 months to April.
