KNLA attacks on Kayin State base trigger border crossing and intensified Thai patrols
More than six hundred individuals, including civilians and Myanmar soldiers, crossed into Thailand on Saturday following an attack by the Karen National Liberation Army on a military base in Kayin State, according to Thai military reports.
The assault began around 3:00 p.m. local time on 12 July, targeting a Myanmar army installation near the border.
Thai authorities confirmed that approximately four hundred sixty-seven civilians and one hundred soldiers sought refuge across the border in Tak province.
Thai military and police personnel disarmed the arrivals and provided medical care and humanitarian aid.
Additional border patrols have been deployed in western Tak province amid concerns over potential incursions by armed forces.
The Karen National Liberation Army, aligned with the Karen National Union, has intensified its operations following the Myanmar coup in 2021.
In recent months, the group has used drones, sniper fire, rocket launchers, and artillery in multiple attacks on junta positions in border regions.
In early July, allied Karen forces used drone-borne explosives in an offensive near the Thai border, prompting the displacement of over two hundred civilians into Thailand.
Thai authorities extended security alerts along affected border areas and set up temporary shelters for the arrivals.
Thailand’s response includes stepped-up patrols and humanitarian preparation amid a broader refugee influx resulting from Myanmar’s protracted civil conflict.
The ongoing fighting has led to periodic cross-border movements and added pressure on the border communities and officials in northern Thailand.
The assault began around 3:00 p.m. local time on 12 July, targeting a Myanmar army installation near the border.
Thai authorities confirmed that approximately four hundred sixty-seven civilians and one hundred soldiers sought refuge across the border in Tak province.
Thai military and police personnel disarmed the arrivals and provided medical care and humanitarian aid.
Additional border patrols have been deployed in western Tak province amid concerns over potential incursions by armed forces.
The Karen National Liberation Army, aligned with the Karen National Union, has intensified its operations following the Myanmar coup in 2021.
In recent months, the group has used drones, sniper fire, rocket launchers, and artillery in multiple attacks on junta positions in border regions.
In early July, allied Karen forces used drone-borne explosives in an offensive near the Thai border, prompting the displacement of over two hundred civilians into Thailand.
Thai authorities extended security alerts along affected border areas and set up temporary shelters for the arrivals.
Thailand’s response includes stepped-up patrols and humanitarian preparation amid a broader refugee influx resulting from Myanmar’s protracted civil conflict.
The ongoing fighting has led to periodic cross-border movements and added pressure on the border communities and officials in northern Thailand.