Thousand’s Flee After Junta Bombs Myawaddy, Myanmar

Dozens of civilians, including women and children, were injured after the Military Junta bombed Myawaddy, and ethnic opposition troops began battling government soldiers near the second border crossing between Mae Sot and Myawaddy on Saturday night.

Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, said on Sunday that the number of Myanmar refugees in Mae Sot had risen to almost 3,000 and were under the Interior Ministry’s supervision.

He stated that the Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a warning to Myanmar after a bullet struck the glass of a Thai house in Bang Wang Takhian village of Tambon Tha Sai Luat in Mae Sot. There were no injuries.

According to security sources in Mae Sot, Thailand, over 40% of Myanmar refugees were women, the elderly, and young children, with many suffering from heat exhaustion. Security officials built six temporary shelters for evacuees in Mae Sot, where medics provided first aid.

The injured civilians, mainly women and children, from Myawaddy were transported to Mae Sot Hospital for treatment. The first border crossing in Mae Sot remained open on Sunday, but travel was delayed because to the influx from Myawaddy on Saturday evening.

Dr. Sophon Iamsirithaworn, public health inspector-general, stated that health officials had just registered 1,686 Myanmar refugees, with more anticipated to arrive. He said one refugee had been injured by shrapnel and was sent to Mae Sot Hospital on Saturday.

According to Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang, conflicts in Myawaddy are growing, and the Thai government is giving humanitarian relief to impacted individuals. According to the defence minister, the general situation remained within the Thai government’s expectations. He planned to visit Mae Sot in a few days.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced on Facebook that following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he will travel to Mae Sot to monitor developments, including border trade, and provide moral support to local residents and security officers.

He said that he did not want the fighting in Myanmar to harm Thai land, and that officials should be on the lookout for scammers operating in Myawaddy who may flee to Mae Sot.

Myanmar’s Deadly Coup

The Myanmar coup was a bloody military takeover that left the country in disarray. On February 1, 2021, the military detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and senior National League for Democracy party leaders.

They claimed voter fraud in the November 2020 election, which Suu Kyi’s party won handily. Protests arose, and security forces responded with harsh crackdowns. Hundreds were slain and many detained.

The junta proclaimed a yearlong state of emergency. The coup shattered Myanmar’s fragile transition to democracy after decades of military control. It resulted in military resistance, economic upheaval, and diplomatic isolation. Despite international criticism and sanctions, the junta has tightened its control, increasing brutality against civilians and opposition forces.

Myanmar’s military junta continues bombing its own citizens. Airstrikes target civilian areas, killing and displacing thousands. The regime justifies these attacks as crackdowns on “terrorists” but evidence shows indiscriminate killings of innocents.

Villages burn as residents flee for safety. The international community condemns these atrocities but takes little action to stop the violence. Myanmar’s people suffer immensely under this brutal military rule.