(CNN) -- About 10,000 people have fled from Myanmar into Thailand to escape fighting between Myanmar government forces and a splinter group of rebels of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, military and border officials told CNN on Monday.
The rebels and Myanmar forces clashed Sunday and Monday over control of the town of Myawaddy, which sits across the Moei River from Mae Sot, Thailand. The Thailand-Burma Friendship bridge connects the two towns.
Lt. Col. Vannathit Wongwai, commander of Thailand's 3rd Region Army, said Myanmar military officials told him they had retaken control of Myawaddy late Monday afternoon after bringing in 500 reinforcements to battle the Karen splinter group.
At least five Myanmar refugees and five Thais were injured in the fighting, the officials said. Shells fell on the Thai side of the border, but the Thai military did not return fire, military officials told the Bangkok Post.
According to a report on the website Burma Election Tracker, the clashes began when DKBA militia members who had been employed as government border security troops rebelled because the Myanmar military was forcing people to vote at gunpoint in this weekend's election.
CNN
