THE decades-long insurgency in Myanmar took a new turn after Karen ethnic fighters took over the border town of Myawaddy.
The Karen National Union hailed their victory after they took control of Myawaddy with the help of anti-coup forces.
A battalion assigned to the border town surrendered and accepted their defeat.
The jubilant insurgents seized a substantial amount of weapons from the surrendering troops.
The Karen National Union and other opposition groups have been fighting for self-determination since Myanmar gained independence from British rule in 1948.
Ethnic groups entered a ceasefire with the military in 2015.
However, the ceasefire was invalidated after a military coup overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi who has been moved from jail and is currently under house arrest.
The military coup led to another wave of clashes between the soldiers and rebel groups.
The ongoing conflict in Myanmar was dubbed the longest-running insurgency of modern times, which spanned 76 years, and no end in sight to the fighting.
The conflict between Myanmar’s military forces and Karen rebels often forced Burmese refugees to flee to Thailand.
