Over 300 Karen civilians flee fighting in Myanmar for shelter in Tak province

More than 300 ethnic Karen civilians, many of them women, children and the elderly, have sought temporary refuge on the Thai side of the border, in Tha Song Yang district of Tak province, following fierce fighting between Myanmar government troops and Karen rebel forces.

Thai authorities have arranged shelters for them, one at Mae La Temple in Mae La sub-district, housing 207 people, and the other in a monastery in the same sub-district.

According to Thai security sources, troops from the Karen National Union launched a drone and ground force attack on a Myanmar government garrison in Hpa-an province, in Karen state, earlier this week.

Latest reports say that the Karen rebels succeeded in capturing the garrison. The rebel forces then went on to attack a second government camp, also in Hpa-an province.



In retaliation, the Myanmar government launched air strikes on rebel positions, forcing Karen civilians to flee to safety in Thailand.