Myanmar army airstrikes send hundreds fleeing into Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Reports from Myanmar say the military has unleashed airstrikes and heavy artillery on a small town controlled by ethnic guerrillas, sending hundreds of people fleeing across a river into Thailand. Government forces targeted Lay Kay Kaw, a small town near the border that is controlled by the Karen guerrillas who are seeking greater autonomy from the central government. Fighting has intensified since February, when the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, and guerrillas offered refuge to opponents of the army. Last week, some 2,500 villagers also fled the fighting into Thailand. The most recent clashes were triggered by a raid last week by government soldiers on the border town.