Fighting between the army and an ethnic rebel group has intensified for the second consecutive day near Myawaddy, a city located on the border with Thailand. Residents are either hiding or attempting to cross the border to safety as skirmishes continue throughout the night and into the morning. The Karen National Union, an armed ethnic minority group, is attempting to control a crucial trading hub on the Thai border near Myawaddy. Despite ongoing fighting in the city, the junta still appears to have control over it.
The escalating violence has prompted a significant number of people to flee their homes, with reports indicating that around a thousand individuals were waiting at the border crossing on Wednesday. Thailand has announced its willingness to accommodate up to 100,000 refugees in Mae Sot, a city located across the Thai-Myanmar border. Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, Myanmar has been embroiled in a civil war, with various rebel groups taking up arms against the military rulers. In recent months, the civil war has intensified, with rebels advancing into regions that were previously untouched by violence. Life for residents in the region remains uncertain and fraught with danger as conflict continues to escalate.
