Travellers are being told that the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) has been fighting with junta troops on the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Asia Highway since the morning of 4 April and that the road is blocked.

“The fighting began this morning. They have been shooting back and forth with both small arms and heavy weapons. There are four vehicles blazing near a damaged bridge close to the Tawnaw waterfall. Now, we cannot continue our journey. Most of the private cars are turning back. The big trucks cannot turn around, so they have stopped by the roadside. Passengers of buses and private cars have to hide in ditches. The information from the military government newspaper is not correct,” said a truck driver.

Today’s military government newspaper stated that trucks and cars are traveling on the Myawaddy-Kawkareik ASEAN highway as usual.

In response to the military regime sending more troops to Laykay Kaw Township in Kayin (Karen) State the Karen National Union (KNU), the political wing of the KNLA, warned the public on 26 March not to travel on the Myawaddy- Kawkareik Asian Highway because it would be temporarily closed from 27 March.

Fighting on the highway started on 27 March and since then private cars, passenger buses, and more than 10 trucks have been set on fire and a traveler has been shot dead.