Mawlamyine, April (14)
The military council, which incurred several fatalities during the combat, had increased its military presence in Law Kay Kaw, and was conducting a series of airstrikes and reconnaissance missions, according to a KNLA official from the Cobra column.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and junta troops clashed again in the Lay Kay Kaw area on April 10, defeating the junta’s whole column.
The KNLA joint force spokesman said that at present, the military council is expanding its forces to Lay Kay Kaw area, and the offensive was resumed with both air and ground operations.
“We were conducting clearance operation on April 13. There was no fight between the two parties.
I’ve heard they’ve increased their forces. They suffered casualties and lost their dignity in the previous clashe, therefore they spread misinformation. They’ll probably try again, I believe,” he said.
In addition to the 44th Division of the Military Council, 22nd Division, the unit under costal region command and the Border Guard Force (BGF) are all waging offensives in Lay Kay Kaw.
During the combat on April 10, approximately 40 members of the military council were killed, while one captain was captured alive by the KNLA.
The clashes between the KNLA and the military council has been raging in Lay Kay Kaw since December last year, forcing tens of thousands of locals to take refuge near the Thaung Yin River on the Thai-Myanmar border.
News – Than Lwin Times