At the Thai-Myanmar border, the military council’s Black Do camp was attacked and captured by a joint force of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), and People’s Defense Force (PDF), resulting in 63 military council soldiers fleeing to Thailand, only to be denied entry and pushed back by Thai forces. During the battle, which occurred on the evening of May 23, more than 30 military council troops surrendered their weapons, and 10 military casualties were recovered.
Following the battle, the military council soldiers who fled to Thailand were wearing civilian clothes and carried no weapons. While in previous similar incidents, the Thai military would typically transfer Myanmar soldiers back to the military council through the Myawaddy Border Committee, this time they are instead urging them to return to Myanmar territory. Border military sources confirmed that the Thai forces are actively pushing these soldiers back rather than accepting them or facilitating their return to the military council.
The battle for Black Do camp resulted in 3 resistance fighters being killed and 10 wounded. Currently, KNLA-led allied forces are continuing their offensive operations against all military council camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. Sources indicate that the fleeing soldiers face limited options, as returning to the military would likely result in severe punishment for abandoning their posts. The situation highlights the increasing pressure on military council forces in the border regions as resistance forces continue their strategic operations to liberate territory from military council control.
