The Karen National Union (KNU) and its allies have reportedly seized a junta base near the Thai border in Karen State.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), an armed wing of the KNU, and its allies seized the Maw Phoe Kay base in Paingkyon, Hpa-an District, on Monday.
The KNLA told the Karen media that regime troops abandoned the base and the Thai media reported that 27 soldiers crossed the Moei River into Thailand.
During the fighting, over 200 civilians near the clash site reportedly crossed into Thailand.
“Residents feared possible retaliatory airstrikes by the junta,” Naw Cherry of the Karen Peace Support Network told The Irrawaddy.
Maw Phoe Kay, a former KNU base, is in territory claimed by KNU Brigade 7. Military dictator Ne Win’s troops seized the base in 1981.
It is the eighth base seized by the KNU and allies in territory claimed by Brigade 7.
The rebel groups continued to attack a junta mountaintop base at Naw Tayar in Hpa-an on Tuesday.
The KNU did not respond to requests for a comment.
The KNLA and Karen National Defense Organization, another KNU armed wing, seized the junta’s Maw Kwee Lu base in Paingkyon last Friday.
The two armed groups also seized the junta’s major Tarlal base in Paingkyon on May 13, including a haul of weapons and ammunition.
During the attack, nine regime troops, including a captain, were killed and Infantry Battalion 24’s deputy commander allegedly fled the fighting.
The KNU and its allies seized the Htee Khee base at a trade hub on the Thai border in Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region, this month, after defeating the last junta base in the area.
The KNU and allies briefly seized the Light Infantry Battalion 598 headquarters in Shwegyin Township, Bago Region, on May 8.
Since the 2021 coup, the KNU has trained and armed several thousand anti-regime fighters and helped form People’s Defense Forces loyal to the civilian National Unity Government.
The KNU and its allies are fighting the regime in Karen and Mon states and Tanintharyi and Bago regions and have attacked the capital, Naypyitaw.
