Myanmar rebels claim to have captured a town bordering Thailand.

The Karen National Union rebel group claims to have pushed the Myanmar military out of Myawaddy, a border town with Thailand.

"We defeated the 275th Battalion of the Myanmar Army at 10 p.m. on April 10," Padoh Saw Taw Nee, spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU) rebel group, said on April 11, referring to the Myanmar Army unit guarding the town of Myawaddy, bordering Thailand.

Nee added that about 200 Myanmar soldiers had retreated to the bridge linking Myawaddy with the western Thai town of Mae Sot. A Thai border official also confirmed that Myawaddy had fallen.

Clashes between Myanmar's military and rebels that broke out in the past few days in the town of Myawaddy have caused hundreds of Myanmar civilians to flee into Thai territory to seek asylum.

People from Myawaddy town carrying their pets to Mae Sot town, Thailand to seek asylum on April 10. Photo: AFP

Local residents said fighting in the town broke out on April 9, but by April 11, they had not heard any gunfire.

"The fighting ended around 8pm on April 10. The KNU has not entered the town yet, although we know they have taken control of the area. We are still hiding at home," said a Myawaddy resident.

The KNU announced last weekend that it had taken over a military base about 10 km from Myawaddy and said that more than 600 Myanmar soldiers, police and their families had surrendered.

Myanmar's military government has not yet announced the situation in Myawaddy.

Location of Myawaddy city (red dot), Kayin state, southeastern Myanmar. Graphic: Google Maps

Myawaddy is very important to Myanmar's military government. The estimated value of trade through Myawaddy in the past 12 months was $1.1 billion, according to Myanmar's Ministry of Commerce.

Thailand shares a 2,400-km border with Myanmar. Thailand's foreign minister said on April 9 that the country was ready to take in 100,000 Myanmar nationals fleeing fighting. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and senior Thai officials met earlier to discuss the border issue.

Myanmar's military government is struggling to contain insurgent attacks across the country and stabilize an economy weakened by the coup. The junta-appointed president, Myint Swe, warned late last year that the country risks splitting apart if it fails to tackle the insurgency.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP )

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