Maj. Naing Maung Zaw from Border Guard Force (BGF) confirmed to Mizzima that combined troops of Karen National Union (KNU) and BGF were fighting fiercely against the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State.
“We have been fighting with them fiercely for over a month. Our combined troops have overrun their outposts. We have had intermittent fighting and sporadic firing until today. The place we are fighting is called Tharbawthae which is in dense forest full of valleys and ravines,” he said.
Maj. Naing Maung Zaw added that a combined force of government troops, the 7th Brigade Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and BGF were fighting with them near the Hatgyi dam site in Maethaewaw.
“We have being fighting with them for a long time after they launched an attack on our outpost. They frequently broke their promises. We have to retaliate after they launched repeated attacks on our positions,” he added.
Maj. Naing Maung Zaw further said that government troops and DKBA had been fighting frequently since 2015 in Maethaewaw area and along the Asian highway but the KNLA joined this fighting along with government troops just over two months back.
He added that apart from fighting in this area, the DKBA was also planting landmines in the area.
