Fighting Breaks Out After Myanmar Election

Thousands flee as militia battles government troops
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Suggested by GoldenGatsby
Posted Nov 8, 2010 12:16 PM CST
Fighting Breaks Out After Myanmar Election
Myanmar citizens gather while waiting for food at the Border Patrol Police base in Thailand's Mae Sot town Monday, following fighting between Myanmar soldiers and ethnic Karen fighters.   (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

Some 10,000 people fled across the border from Myanmar into Thailand today to escape fighting between government troops and a splinter of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army rebel group. At least three people have been killed and 10 others wounded in the battle, which broke out in the eastern border town of Myawaddy, according to Al Jazeera.

Members of the DKBA militia had been working as border security troops for the government, but rebelled when they saw that the military was forcing people to vote at gunpoint, according to a Burmese web report quoted by CNN. “The people want to boycott [the vote], so the soldiers are holding them at gunpoint and our troops had to intervene and take sides with the people,” a militia general said. (More Myanmar stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X