Karen Guerrilla Fighters Withdraw from Myanmar Town Amid Ongoing Conflict with Military

Reports from Myanmar indicate that guerrilla fighters from the main ethnic Karen fighting force have withdrawn from the eastern border town of Myawaddy This follows a twoweek occupation of the town during which they forced the army to give up its defense The withdrawal was confirmed by residents and members of the group on Wednesday

Assistance from Contending Armed Karen Group

The withdrawal decision was influenced by a contending armed Karen group that has occupied the town and claimed responsibility for its security This group provided assistance to army soldiers who had fled to a riverside spot for safety The soldiers belonging to the armys Infantry Battalion 275 had their base captured on April 11 by the armed wing of the Karen National Union KNU and allied prodemocracy forces

Nationwide Conflict Background

This development is the latest in the ongoing nationwide conflict in Myanmar which began after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 The armys actions led to the suppression of widespread nonviolent protests that sought a return to democratic rule

Despite its advantage in arms and manpower Myanmars army had been on the defensive since last October when an alliance of three ethnic rebel groups launched an offensive in the countrys northeast This resistance has resulted in the capture of major swaths of territory in various regions including the northern Shan state on the border with China and significant gains in Rakhine state in the west

Border Guard Forces Role

The soldiers who fled to a riverside spot near a bridge connecting Myawaddy to Thailands Mae Sot district were given tacit protection by Kayin states Border Guard Force This group which had been nominally affiliated with the military announced last month that they were cutting ties and establishing themselves independently under the name of the Karen National Army

The Border Guard Force has been accused of providing protection to casino resorts in the Myawaddy area which have been criticized for their involvement in organized crime activities

The KNUs spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee announced that their forces had temporarily withdrawn from Myawaddy as the Border Guard Force brought the soldiers from the riverside spot to the abandoned Infantry Battalion 275 base At the base the soldiers raised Myanmars national flag in place of the standard hoisted by the guerrillas when they occupied it

Counterattack Preparations

The KNU is preparing to defend against an expected counterattack by the military government Accordingly they are keeping their units mobile rather than trying to hold territory Another Karen organization the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation ArmyPeace Council based in Myawaddy revealed that the border guards had helped arrange the safe flight of the soldiers to their bridge encampment two weeks ago and provided them with food and weapons