Over 2,500 Myanmar refugees flee to Thailand amid clashes with military junta

Amid the ongoing violence in Myanmar, over 2,500 Burmese had crossed into Thailand from the war-torn nation in the last two days in order to escape the rising conflict between the Myanmar army and insurgents, quoting Thai media, Sputnik reported. According to a Thai Public Broadcasting Service report, Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, the head of the Thai province of Tak, which borders the conflict-torn Karen state revealed that there are hundreds of children among the Burmese refugees. He further noted that officials in Thailand are attempting to offer food and shelter to everyone. 

Furthermore, approximately 700 Myanmar refugees entered Mae Sot, a district in Tak province, on Thursday, joined by hundreds more on Friday morning, according to officials. According to comments released on Friday by the Tak Province Border Center, several persons escaped the conflict by swimming across the shallow Moei River to the opposite side of the border, Radio Free Asia reported.  

Humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

After soldiers raided the province, skirmishes occurred among ethnic minority rebels from the Karen National Union and forces committed to Myanmar's military government, which has been in control since a February 1 coup. It is worth noting that the pro-democracy People's Defense Force (PDF) militias and fighters of the Karen National Liberation Army, the military branch of the Karen National Union (KNU) political organisation, are among the anti-junta combatants. 

Multiple allegations of human rights violation, communities being torched, involving protected sites like places of religious worship and residential buildings, have been received by the United Nations Human Rights Office in recent weeks. Recently on December 7, the Myanmar junta has been accused of killing 13 people from a village in Done Taw, 11 of whom were found burnt to death.  

After the military government ruthlessly crushed pro-democracy rallies, armed PDF volunteers carried out hundreds of bombings and assassinations against military officials. Massive protests occurred across Myanmar when the Junta took control of the Nation and declared a year-long national emergency following the general elections. Since then, the military has carried out a merciless repression campaign, killing nearly 1,303 demonstrators and arresting over 10,600 more. 

(Image: ANI/ AP)