Over 10,000 flee as Burmese rebels launch offensive

Over 10,000 Burmese civilians have streamed across the border into Thailand following widespread rebel attacks on government installations.

There were fierce clashes along the border, and in the most serious incident, rebels stormed a police station in Myawaddy. The fighting comes just days after Burma's first elections in 20 years were widely criticized as being little more than a sham. Representatives of Burmese minority groups, which make up 40% of the population warned that a full scale civil war could take place after rebel controlled areas were not permitted to vote in the recent elections.

The Burmese military has said that it has taken back control of central Myawaddy but that rebel forces, believed to be from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, still hold much of the surrounding area. Head of the DKBA unit responsible, Commander Saw Lah Pwe said he was "doing this for democracy". Most of the DKBA has agreed to become a Border Guard unit under the command of the military junta, however Commander Saw refused. The Fifth Brigade, under Saw's command, is believed to have over 1,400 troops. Other rebel groups have also refused to comply with the military.

These include:
* Kachin Independence Army - 7,000 troops
* United Wa State Army - 30,0000 troops
* Shan State Army - 5,000 troops
* Karen National Liberation Army - 8,000 troops
* New Mon State - 1,000 troops

So far, only the Fifth Brigade is reported to have taken part in the fighting.