“Due to the fierce fighting near the new Shwe Koke Ko twon, thousands of locals have fled to the banks of the Taungyin River and fled to Thailand,” said a driver transporting Myawaddy-Mae Sot passengers.
“In this morning, the KNLA and Cobra joint-column attacked the BGF camps near the new Shwe Koke Ko town in Myawaddy township, and the fighting was fierce, he said.
“Right now, we don’t know the situation either. Now it’s quiet. The BGF is also confused. There are a few hundred people who are fleeing from the upper road into Me Sot. People from Thikot Htaw village are running across the Taungyin River. They said there are military evacuation camps over there,” he said.
A woman working in the new Shwe Koke Ko town said that “new Shwe Koke Ko town of BGF territory in Myawati Township was temporarily closed and casino workers were not allowed to go out. BGFs closed the two gates and checked the security”.
Now the BGFs are driving around the area and warning them not to go out due to the shoot outside, so if people don’t want to die, they tell people to stay inside. The Lao Pangs in here are also gathering their things and their Chinese bosses are having a meeting.
Karen National Media reported that currently, the number of Myanmar displaced people is 976 at Tha Sai Gate, 1,096 at Tha Ke Kai Gate, 214 at Tha Lusnal Gate, 344 at Naung Bowa De (Karni Cow Farm) and 413 at Tha-34 Gate.