Karens fighting tooth and nail

Karens fighting tooth and nail

War

The Karens are opposing the biggest onslaught since the battle of Manerplaw in 1995, reports Network Media Group on Wednesday (15 October), quoting Tato Hmu, the Karens' 7th Brigade chief of organization. 

According to two officers from Karen National Liberation Army, the Karen National Union's armed wing, it was rather extraordinary Rangoon should be waging a major military operation during the monsoons. The present fight that was launched since 5 August has been taking place along a 20-km front between Karen State's Myawaddy district and Tak province's Mae Ramart and Thasongyang district. 

On the Burmese side are 11 battalions, mostly from Hmawbi-based Military Operations Command #4 and elements from 999th Brigade, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, a splinter group that made peace with Rangoon in 1994, while on the Karens' side are 7 battalions including All Burma Students Democratic Front's 8th Battalion. 

The 7th Brigade is commanded by Brig-Gen Htin Aung.

"Our forces are reacting well," says Saw Sarky, Europe-based Karen representative, "engaging them both in the front and on the rear." He cited two frontal clashes on 13-14 October when the Karen rebels killed 6 and wounded 23 "many of them seriously." The KNLA's other units also employed diversionary tactics elsewhere. He reported two ambushes on 3 October and 9 October. 

The first, staged by the KNLA's Third Brigade, in Nyaunglebin district, killed 6, wounded 4 and captured a number of weapons including one 60 mm mortar from the Burma Army's Light Infantry Battalion 109. 

The second, staged by the 6th Brigade on Light Infantry Battalion 299 in Dooplaya district, killed 5 and wounded 9, 5 of whom seriously including a column commander, Maj. Myint Win. 

The Nation, 15 October, also reports the Burma Army's continued use of forced portering in the Karen campaign.