KAREN STATE – Border Guard Force (BGF) restricted the entrance and exit routes into Shwekokko, located around 10 miles north of Myawaddy starting Thursday (April 25), according to the sources in Shwekokko.
It is said that no one is allowed to enter Shwekokko which is controlled by BGF. A resident of Shwekokko also shared that people can leave the town but are not allowed to enter but did not know the reason for it.
A source close to BGF believes that the restricted access to Shwekokko has to do with the military situation in Myawaddy.
The junta council managed to regain control of their battalion in Myawaddy on April 23 with help from BGF.
BGF troops also patrolled inside Myawaddy while the KNU led joint forces were battling the junta council forces outside of the town.
Shwekokko, located on the bank of Thaungyin River and ten miles north of Myawaddy, is controlled by BGF and is notorious for its online gambling activities.
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) recently published a report on how Chinese scam gangs are operating in the BGF controlled region and the involvement of BGF leaders in those activities.