According to local officials, the junta has been shelling Maw Taung town in the KNU Myeik–Tavoy District and has carried out airstrikes, forcing more than a thousand local residents to flee toward the Thai border.
Around noon on November 12th, junta aircraft dropped two bombs on Maw Taung, setting fire to areas near the clock tower and several markets inside the town.
As a result, more than a thousand residents from the Maw Taung area are now sheltering along the Phra Chet borderline. A volunteer assisting displaced people said, Thai authorities have been providing continuous assistance with food and basic healthcare.
“There were two airstrikes today. The displaced people have now been here for two nights and two days. They can’t enter Thailand, but Thailand has been providing them continuous support. At the moment, we are coordinating with Thai authorities to deliver food supplies,” the volunteer said.
He added that because Thai law imposes certain restrictions on assisting displaced persons, support efforts are being coordinated between Myanmar-based volunteers and Thai authorities. However, shortages of food remain a concern.
A resistance source said the junta began shelling the Maw Taung area on November 10th, and a small clash between resistance forces and junta troops occurred on November 11.
“Some resistance groups issued warnings asking people to move to safety, but since no fighting had broken out at the time, many didn’t leave yet. But the other night, there were around 30 artillery strikes — that’s when people panicked and fled. Those who remain in the town will also try to escape however they can,” he added.
In a statement released today, November 12th, the KNU said the military council has been making an intensified push to conduct elections and has been frequently carrying out airstrikes and artillery attacks in the KNU-administered Myeik–Tavoy District — territory the junta has lost control over — with the deliberate intention of instilling fear among civilians.
Local sources report that in recent days, temperatures have dropped during the nights in the Mon, Karen, and Tanintharyi regions, and heavy fog has set in. Displaced civilians fleeing the conflict are struggling with harsh weather conditions.
