The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied forces are conducting offensive operations against the military council’s Waw Lay Strategic Hill in the Thai-Myanmar border area of Karen State, causing local residents to flee to Thailand. Starting from July 3, KNLA and allied forces have been launching attacks on the military council’s Waw Lay Strategic Hill camp located in Waw Lay Myaing New Town south of Myawaddy. The military council has responded with heavy artillery fire, which has hit Waw Lay village, resulting in civilian casualties.
According to military situation reports, KNLA allied forces are conducting offensive operations targeting the military council’s Waw Lay Strategic Camp, Ukayittha Camp, and Thee Thay Blay Camp in the Waw Lay Myaing New Town area, with intense fighting ongoing between both sides. On July 4, as attacks intensified on the military council’s Waw Lay Strategic Hill camp, the military council fired artillery into Waw Lay village, injuring three local residents who were subsequently transferred to Thailand’s Phop Phra Hospital for treatment, according to local sources.
Due to the intensifying conflict, hundreds of residents from Waw Lay village have fled to the Thai side of the border, where the Thai military is providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced civilians. As fighting continues to escalate on the Myanmar side, Thai forces have increased security measures along the border with full military preparedness and ammunition, closely monitoring the situation. The Karen National Union (KNU) is now reportedly close to controlling the entire Thai-Myanmar border area, with only three military council camps remaining to be captured: Ukayittha, Waw Lay Strategic Hill, and Thee Thay Lay military camps.
