Fighting erupts in Myawaddy Phalu region, Thai army reinforces as shells land on Thai side

Fighting has been ongoing since the night of July 7th until today (8th) in the Phalu region, near the Thai-Myanmar border, south of Myawaddy town in Karen State, between the military junta's forces and a joint force of the Karen National Union (KNU), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), and People's Defence Force (PDF). Due to shells landing on the Thai side, the Thai army has reinforced its border security forces. The military junta's forces, which have been advancing with a large number of troops since early July to regain control of Minlapan and Phalu villages along the Myawaddy-Wawlay road, have been continuously firing heavy artillery since last night and launched a ground offensive this morning, July 8th, according to Karen news sources. "Even on the Mae Sot side, houses on the cliff edge were shaking. The sound of heavy artillery made it noisy all night. We could hear explosions throughout the night," a military source on the Thai-Myanmar border told the Irrawaddy Times. This morning, the joint forces ambushed a column of the military junta's forces advancing along the Thimeewakhi route, resulting in numerous casualties on the military's side. Among those injured were many conscripts newly recruited under the People's Military Service Law, and they are being transported by ambulances to the military hospital at Infantry Battalion No. 275 base in Myawaddy town for treatment, a local source confirmed. Furthermore, it is known that forces led by Bo Bi of the Progressive Buddhist Karen People's Army (DKBA) have also joined the offensive in the Phalu area to assist the military junta's forces. Due to the mutual exchange of fire, machine gun and mortar shells landed inside Huai Mahawon village in Mae Sot district, Tak province, Thailand, damaging three houses belonging to Thai residents. Some Thai news reports indicated that a heavy artillery shell landed and exploded within the compound of a former village headman's house, forcing Thai residents to take shelter throughout the night in safe locations. Currently, the Ratchamanu Special Force, under the command of the Thai Army's Naresuan Task Force, has reinforced the border with military vehicles equipped with .50 caliber machine guns and troops. Thai authorities have announced that they will implement phased warnings and responses if further shelling from the Myanmar side lands within Thai territory.