Latest news with #Kayin
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Hundreds of Myanmar troops, civilians flee across Thai border
More than 500 civilians and soldiers fled conflict in Myanmar and crossed into Thailand on Saturday after an assault by ethnic fighters on a military base, the Thai army said. Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces. Saturday's attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) targeted a military base in Kayin state at around 3 pm local time (0800 GMT), Thailand's military said in a statement. 'The Myanmar soldiers attempted to resist and called for supporting firepower to defend their position but were ultimately unable to hold the line,' it said. One hundred Myanmar soldiers and 467 civilians had crossed into Thailand on Saturday, where Thai military and police disarmed them and provided treatment and humanitarian aid, officials said. Thai forces have ramped up patrols along the border in western Tak province to prevent what officials described as a potential 'violation of sovereignty by foreign armed forces.' Saw Thamain Tun, a leader of the KNLA's political wing, confirmed there had been fighting near the border and said that joint forces had 'seized some front posts' from the army. 'Some (Myanmar troops) defected to our joint forces, but some of them ran into Thailand,' he told AFP. Armed groups from the Karen ethnic minority have long challenged the military and now play a key role in resisting junta control over border zones. Myanmar's civil war has caused huge waves of population displacement, with 81,000 refugees or asylum seekers from the country currently living in Thailand, according to United Nations figures. The KNLA has been fighting for decades to establish greater autonomy for the Karen people living along Myanmar's southeastern flank.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Thailand sees border influx as hundreds of Myanmar troops, civilians flee army base assault
More than 500 civilians and soldiers fled conflict in Myanmar and crossed into Thailand on Saturday after an assault by ethnic fighters on a military base, the Thai army said. Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces. Saturday's attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) targeted a military base in Kayin state at around 3pm local time, Thailand's military said in a statement. 'The Myanmar soldiers attempted to resist and called for supporting firepower to defend their position, but were ultimately unable to hold the line,' it said. One hundred Myanmar soldiers and 467 civilians had crossed into Thailand on Saturday, where Thai military and police disarmed them and provided treatment and humanitarian aid, officials said. Thai forces have ramped up patrols along the border in western Tak province to prevent what officials described as a potential 'violation of sovereignty by foreign armed forces'.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Over 500 Myanmar soldiers, civilians flee into Thailand after assault by ethnic fighters on military base
BANGKOK, July 12 — More than 500 civilians and soldiers fled conflict in Myanmar and crossed into Thailand on Saturday after an assault by ethnic fighters on a military base, the Thai army said. Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces. Saturday's attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) targeted a military base in Kayin state at around 3pm local time (4pm Malaysian time), Thailand's military said in a statement. 'The Myanmar soldiers attempted to resist and called for supporting firepower to defend their position but were ultimately unable to hold the line,' it said. One hundred Myanmar soldiers and 467 civilians had crossed into Thailand on Saturday, where Thai military and police disarmed them and provided treatment and humanitarian aid, officials said. Thai forces have ramped up patrols along the border in western Tak province to prevent what officials described as a potential 'violation of sovereignty by foreign armed forces'. Saw Thamain Tun, a leader of the KNLA's political wing, confirmed there had been fighting near the border and said that joint forces had 'seized some front posts' from the army. 'Some (Myanmar troops) defected to our joint forces, but some of them ran into Thailand,' he told AFP. Armed groups from the Karen ethnic minority have long challenged the military and now play a key role in resisting junta control over border zones. Myanmar's civil war has caused huge waves of population displacement, with 81,000 refugees or asylum seekers from the country currently living in Thailand, according to United Nations figures. The KNLA has been fighting for decades to establish greater autonomy for the Karen people living along Myanmar's southeastern flank. — AFP
CNA
08-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Hundreds flee across Thai border after attack on Myanmar military
BANGKOK: More than 300 Myanmar people fled into Thailand to seek refuge following an assault on the military by ethnic armed groups, Thailand said on Thursday (May 8), days after the junta extended a post-earthquake ceasefire. Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy resistance forces. Wednesday's attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and its allied Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) targeted a military base in Kayin state, about 2.5km from the Thai border, according to the Thai military. "The attack involved a close-range encirclement of the base and the use of armed drones to continuously drop explosives throughout the day," a statement said. By Thursday, 327 Myanmar nationals had crossed into Thailand and were sheltering in two temporary sites, including a temple, with Thai military and police providing security and humanitarian aid, officials said. Thai forces have ramped up patrols along the border in Tak province to prevent what officials described as a potential "breach of sovereignty by foreign armed forces". Myanmar's military government and various armed groups opposed to it announced a ceasefire after the Mar 28 quake to help relief and recovery efforts. The truce has been repeatedly broken by air strikes by the junta and attacks by armed groups.
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
US sanctions Myanmar militia and warlord linked to cyber scams and trafficking
The US has sanctioned a Myanmarese militia and its warlord for their alleged role in cyber scams as well as smuggling and human trafficking rings that have cost Americans billions of dollars. The Treasury Department on Monday sanctioned the Karen National Army, an ethnic Buddhist militia group operating in southeast Kayin state bordering Thailand, its leader Saw Chit Thu, and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit. The militia is linked to Myanmar 's military junta, which grabbed power in a 2021 coup. The US has previously imposed a series of sanctions on the ruling junta and its leaders. The Karen National Army emerged as a distinct entity after splitting from the Myanmar military in April 2024. In its earlier avatar as a Myanmar army unit, it was known as the Karen Border Guard Force. The group was originally formed in 1994 as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. According to the US Treasury, the militia leases land to organised crime gangs in Myanmar and runs highly lucrative 'scam compounds' targeting Americans. Myanmar and fellow Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia and Laos have seen a mushrooming of criminal groups involved in cyber scams. These groups run multinational scams exploiting trafficked workers as well as people who have been forcibly taken, deceived or coerced into working in their scam centres, often under abusive or inhumane conditions. The UN warned last month that these criminal gangs have been expanding despite crackdowns and spreading their tentacles as far away as Ireland and Mexico. 'A significant portion of cyber scams targeting Americans and others around the globe emanate from Southeast Asia,' the Treasury said in a statement Monday, adding that such scams had lost Americans about $3.5bn (£2.6bn) in 2023 alone. The sanctions on the Karen National Army, its chief and his sons freeze any US assets they may hold and bar Americans from doing business with them. The UK and the EU have already imposed sanctions on the warlord. 'Cyber scam operations such as those run by the KNA generate billions in revenue for criminal kingpins and their associates, while depriving victims of their hard-earned savings and sense of security," deputy secretary Michael Faulkender said. Mr Thu is known to have close ties to the military rulers as he was conferred an honorary title for "outstanding performance" by junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing in November 2022. The American sanctions came as the military junta extended its ongoing ceasefire with armed rebel groups until the end of the month, the third extension since a powerful earthquake caused widespread devastation in the country. The junta chief's office said the ceasefire had been extended to accelerate reconstruction and recovery efforts in areas most affected by the 28 March earthquake. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA, said Mr Thu was saddened by news of the US sanctions but that they "will not affect us in any way". "I really cannot understand why this happened when we ... are working to crack down on scam centres and repatriate victims to their respective countries," Mr Zaw said. "We will continue the work we have started."
