Karen fighters attack village

Written by changthai11 on Sunday, October 5th, 2008

ASSAWIN PINIJWONG

>>TAK : Dozens of heavily-armed fighters from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) stormed a border village in Umphang district yesterday and attacked a local leader’s house, border authorities said. The soldiers, from the 907th battalion of the DKBA, raided Mae Klong Khee village in tambon Mokro yesterday, sealing off the house of Mokro kamnan Boonlert Duanmaeklong.

The village is about three kilometres from the Thai-Burmese border.

Apparently Mr Boonlert had been tipped off about what was coming and fled his home before the soldiers arrived.

It was not clear what had motivated the DKBA attack.

The troops opened fire on his house with heavy weapons, including rocket-launchers. Villagers living nearby ran for their lives.

The soldiers were divided into two units, with one sealing off Mae Klong Khee and the other blocking road access to the village.

As they retreated, they burned down maize and farm produce in the barns of Thai villagers on the Burmese side opposite Mae Klong Khee. About 70% of the produce was damaged.

The land had been leased by Thai villagers for farming.

The attackers also shot at the tyres of passing maize-transport vehicles, reportedly injuring a construction company worker.

There were no other details.

Following the attack, a task force from the 4th Infantry Regiment and officers from the 347th border patrol police were despatched to bolster security in the village and on the Thai-Burmese border.

A letter is being prepared by the Thai-Burma Border Township Committee (TBC) for the local Burmese authorities to protest the DKBA action. The DKBA is an ally of the Burmese government.

It was reported that many villagers were now too frightened to return home. According to border sources, it was suspected that the raid had something to do with a September brawl between DKBA soldiers and local teenagers.

A group of DKBA soldiers stopped by at the village to buy liquor and got involved in a fight with some teenagers. During the brawl a grenade exploded, killing two DKBA members.

Meanwhile, it was reported that DKBA and Burmese troops were deploying reinforcements opposite Umphang district in preparation for an attack on the Karen National Union (KNU).