Thai soldiers, Border Patrol Police on alert as fighting erupts between Karen, Myanmar army
Thai soldiers and Border Patrol Police were closely guarding the border after the Karen National Union (KNU) and People’s Defence Force (PDF) attacked Myanmar troops in Palu village on Wednesday, a reporter said.
The joint KNU-PDF team of soldiers attacked the Myanmar army base in Palu, which is opposite Ban Mae Kon Ken in Thailand’s Mae Sot district, Tak province, he said, forcing some Karen to flee the fighting and escape to the Moei riverside at the Tak border.
The Karen-PDF soliders used K60mm mortar guns and M79 grenade launchers in their attack on the base for 20 minutes, while the Myanmar army retaliated with K120mm mortar guns to keep the KNU-PDF soldiers from advancing on the base, according to the reporter.
The Myanmar army also requested air support. A helicopter was dispatched to shoot at the enemy soldiers.
Troops on both sides were killed and injured in the attack, the reporter added.
