Intense fighting near Myawaddy, Myanmar, with artillery and machine gun fire from Myanmar army landing in Thailand, damaging homes

Yangon, July 5 Fighting is intensifying near Min Lpannt in Myawaddy Township, Kayin State, between the Myanmar army and the Karen National Liberation Army (KTLA), with artillery shells and machine gun fire from Myanmar landing in Thailand and damaging homes, according to Thai media reports. As of the morning of July 5, reports indicate that fighting continues along the Myanmar-Thailand border near the Mahawan village tract in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Although Thai authorities temporarily closed border crossings in the Mahawan village tract on July 3, this measure has not been effective in controlling the fighting. Reports state that intense fighting occurred on the night of July 4 in Min Lpannt between the Myanmar army's Infantry Battalion 22 and Karen armed groups, involving machine guns, suicide drones, and artillery. During the fighting, the tip of a 60mm artillery shell fired by the army landed on the roof of a house in Village No. 1 of the Mahawan village tract in Mae Sot District, Thailand. The tail of the artillery shell penetrated the roof of the village administrator's house in Village No. 9 and landed inside the house. The administrator was fortunate to escape injury as he was sitting at his desk at the time. Following the landing of artillery shells from Myanmar into Thailand, Thai military and local administrative officials inspected the damage to homes and safely cleared the landed 60mm artillery shell. Furthermore, machine gun bullets hit the house of a Thai national in Village No. 9. The man's husband and son were inside the house, and as machine gun bullets rained down continuously, the father and son lay on the floor until the situation calmed down. According to investigations by the Thai army, there are casino buildings on the Myanmar side opposite Mahawan village, and it is believed that Karen armed group members have occupied these locations. The Myanmar army is believed to have targeted these locations, and the trajectory of the shells deviated, causing them to land in Thailand, according to Thai authorities.