Burma-Myanmar: Military junta deploys more troops for offensive in Karenni State
Fighting is raging again in Kayah (Karenni) State after around 2,000 junta troops launched a large-scale offensive in late February a few weeks after Myanmar military regime declared martial law in Bawlake, Hpruso, Demoso and Shadaw townships.
Junta troops came through Shan State’s Pinlaung, which borders the regime’s seat of power in Naypyitaw to the west. Fighting has flared in Pekon, just southeast of Pinlaung.
Pa-O National Organization (PNO) troops are also fighting alongside regime forces in Pinlaung. Several hundred junta troops are deployed on the border of Pinlaung and Pekon, according to Khu Nye Reh, spokesman of the Karenni military central information committee.
“We estimate that around 2,000 junta soldiers are involved in the offensive. Around 400 are deployed on the Pinlaung-Pekon border, known as the western gate. We don’t know if those troops are intended for operations or security for Naypyitaw,” he said.