May 1, 2021 Share
With Myanmar’s military coup now three months old, there are few corners of the Southeast Asian country that haven’t been affected by its aftermath.
Hundreds of thousands have revolted against the military’s action nationwide, but the armed forces have responded forcefully by detaining thousands and leaving more than 750 dead, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma.
But in recent weeks, with mass street demonstrations waning, the uprising has entered a new phase in old territory, throughout Myanmar’s ethnic minority-held states.
In Myanmar’s Karen state, officially Kayin state, conflict isn’t new. Like others, the country’s third-largest ethnic group has endured severe conflict for more than seven decades, largely over ethnically based hostilities. Additionally, fighting against Myanmar’s Tatmadaw armed forces has also been a long battle, but today a resurgent military is forcing the Karen to further defen
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Singapore: It’s post-coup Myanmar’s version of the Underground Railroad, the network of people and routes that in the 19th century helped some African-Americans escape from slavery.
An ad hoc, multi-faceted support system stretching from the cities to the mountains and jungle of Myanmar’s borderlands that has assisted prominent and high-value “targets” of the south-east Asian nation’s military regime flee a reign of terror that has claimed more than 750 lives.
A police officer who fled Myanmar following the military coup is photographed by the AP at undisclosed location bordering Myanmar in March.
Credit:AP
That is how it is described by David Eubank, a former US Special Forces soldier and an ordained minister who has run the humanitarian group Free Burma Rangers in Myanmar’s conflict regions for 25 years.
Myanmar’s pro-democracy unity government, which includes members of parliament ousted by the military coup, has told South-East Asia’s regional bloc that it will not engage in talks until the junta releases all political prisoners.
FILE - In this March 30, 2021, file photo, Myanmar soldiers stand at a small army camp along the river bank near the border of Myanmar and Thailand. Ethnic Karen guerrillas said they captured the Myanmar army base Tuesday, April 27, 2021 in what represents a morale-boosting action for those opposing the military s takeover of the country s civilian government in February. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) world
Myanmar airstrikes on ethnic forces reported on 2 fronts Today 03:11 am JST Today | 06:39 am JST BANGKOK
Myanmar government forces launched airstrikes against ethnic minority guerrillas in two areas of the country on Wednesday, local reports said.
Fighting has been raging daily in northern Myanmar in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization, representing the Kachin minority, and in the east by the Karen National Union, representing the Karen.
In this image made from video by the Transborder News, smoke rises from a Myanmar Army camp near the border of Myanmar and Thailand on April 27. (Transborder News via AP)
BANGKOK Myanmar government forces launched airstrikes against ethnic minority guerrillas in two areas of the country on Wednesday, local reports said.
Fighting has been raging daily in northern Myanmar in territory controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization, representing the Kachin minority, and in the east by the Karen National Union, representing the Karen.
Both groups have struck alliances with the popular movement opposing the military junta that seized power in the country in February after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.