Junta deepens strife with new air attacks

MAE SAM LAEP, Thailand — Violence in eastern Myanmar, including air raids that drove thousands of members of the Karen ethnic minority to seek shelter across the border in Thailand, deepened Tuesday with new air attacks by the military that seized power from an elected government last month.

Thailand’s prime minister denied that his country’s security forces had forced villagers back to Myanmar who had fled from military air strikes over the weekend, saying they returned home on their own accord.

But the situation in eastern Myanmar appeared to be getting more, not less, dangerous.

Saw Taw Nee, head of the foreign affairs department of the Karen National Union, the main political body representing the Karen minority there, confirmed that new raids Tuesday left six civilians dead and 11 wounded.

Dave Eubank, a member of the Free Burma Rangers, which provides medical assistance to villagers in the region, provided the same information.

The attacks by Myanmar’s military led the KNU to issue a statement from one of its armed units saying that the government’s “military ground troops are advancing into our territories from all fronts,” and vowing to respond.

It said the attacks were the latest in a series of actions by Myanmar’s military breaking a ceasefire agreement. The KNU has been fighting for greater autonomy for the Karen people.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha, speaking before the latest air attacks, said his country is ready to shelter anyone who is escaping fighting, as it has done many times for decades. His comments came a day after humanitarian groups said Thailand has been sending back some of the thousands of people who have fled the air attacks by Myanmar’s military.

The attacks are a further escalation of the violent crackdown by Myanmar’s junta on protests against its Feb. 1 takeover.

At least 510 protesters have been killed since the coup, according to Myanmar’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which says the actual toll is likely much higher. It says 2,574 people have been detained.

Ei Tu Hta Community Leaders Members of the ethnic Karen minority cross the Salween river into Thailand to seek refuge after air strikes hit Myanmar’s Karen state following last month’s military coup against an elected government.