Nearly 2,000 local people displaced by multiple days of clashes near Maw Tawng in Tanintharyi Region
By Network Media Group
April 4, 2023
A combined force of different armed resistance groups clashed with the Burma army on the Hton Hker – Maw Tawng road in Tanintharyi Region multiple times over the past three days. Nearly 2,000 local people, including women, children and elderly people, have been displaced by the clashes.
People were displaced from Yay Phyu, Hton Hker, Chaung Nitpouk and Thein Khun villages in Thein Khun village-tract on Maw Tawng road in Taninthari region, fled the clash and have taken shelter in safe place.
“The number of IDPs has increased in this area. The Burma army is active in this area, and has launched attacks with artillery. With Burma army troop movement happening frequently, local people flee from their homes before Burma army soldiers arrive in their villages,” a man working with the Dawna–Tanintharyi IDP Assistance Team told NMG.
A volunteer who is helping the IDPs said that local people are still unable to return to Yay Phyu, Hton Hker, and Thein Kun villages.
A representative of the PDF’s Battalion-2 of Myeik District reported that on 2 April around 11 a.m. a clash broke out between a combined force of resistance groups and the Burma army in the area. The combined forces of resistance groups included the first company of PDF’s Battalion-2 for Myeik district, the Karen National Union, and the Kawthoolei Army.
The PDF representative reported that at least 10 Burma army soldiers were killed and many wounded, but that there were no resistance group causalities during the clash.
“The Burma army suffered many causalities during our landmine attack. We systematically attacked them with landmines,” an officer of the Tiger Commando Unit from the Kawthoolei Army told NMG.
On 31 March, a combined force of resistance groups attacked a Burma army military column travelling together with the Border Guard Force and Pyusawhtee People’s Militia Force (Pyusawhtee PMF) on the Taninthari – Maw Tawng vehicle road near Thein Khun village. The clash last from around 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The officer of the Tiger Commando Unit from the Kawthoolei Army said that at least 10 BA soldiers were killed during two times of clash in Taninthari region on March 31.
A representative of the PDF’s Battalion-2 of Myeik District reported that a combined force of resistance groups had three clashes with the Burma army in the Maw Tawng area throughout the day on 1 April. The PDF representative said that the Burma army suffered many causalities during the clashes.
From 29 March until 2 April, a series of clashes occurred in the Thein Khun village-tract. On 1 April, a combined force of resistance groups attacked Burma army’s strategic command headquarters on Yay Phyu hill.
On the evening of 3 April, a Burma army military column arrived in Thae Phyu village, which is located on the Taninthari – Maw Tawng vehicle road, according to local people.
