Myanmar’s regime forces have failed again to seize the Myawaddy-Waw Lay road controlled by the Cobra Column in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, on August 1, the resistance group claims.
The Cobra Column, which is fighting alongside the Karen National Liberation Army, holds the strategic road to the Thai border allowing resistance forces to receive supplies from Thailand. The junta needs the road to reinforce its Ukayit Hta outpost and to reoccupy the Thay Baw Boe border camp.
Last month, Light Infantry Division 44 at Ukayit Hta was attacked by Cobra and about 120 regime soldiers were killed, including a battalion commander, the resistance forces reported.
Myo Thura Ko Ko, a Cobra spokesman, told The Irrawaddy that more troops from the division attacked Thone Htat Kwe on the road in late July.
“On August 1 the fighting was intense and lasted all day. The regime forces withdrew and suffered many causalities,” he said. The spokesman did estimate the regime casualties because the fighting is ongoing.
The Irrawaddy could not verify the causality numbers.
The junta has shelled the area heavily for three days. Two fighters were lightly injured on August 3, the spokesman said. Junta airstrikes on the road failed to hit their target, he added.
In five months of fighting on the Myawaddy-Waw Lay road and at Ukayit Hta and Thay Baw Boe camps, Cobra says it has lost fewer than 12 fighters but hundreds of regime troops have been killed.
