cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/913064

The United Wa State Army (UWSA) announced on June 21 that it will not accept the Thai authorities’ request to withdraw five military bases on the Myanmar-Thailand border.

The announcement was made on the Wa Channel, the news agency of the UWSA.

The UWSA said in a statement that it will not accept Thailand’s request to withdraw its military bases on the Myanmar-Thailand border.

On June 19, the statement came out after Thai authorities requested the Myanmar officials to remove the five bases of the UWSA on the Thai-Myanmar border at the 97th meeting of the Thai-Myanmar Township Border Committee (TBC) held at the 1G1 Hotel in Tachilek, Eastern Shan State.

The UWSA’s statement stated that these military bases are not located on the Thai side, but within Myanmar’s borders, protecting their area.

Wa Channel news agency reported that UWSA’s Southern Liaison Officer said that there is no need to pressure Thailand to withdraw those military bases.

(USWA is an ethnic armed organization with a 30,000 strong militia operating near the Myanmar-Thai border. )