51.   Burmese troops assaulted the last ethnic Karenni base on the Thai border for the second consecutive day Thursday, Burmese opposition groups said.

52.   Burmese troops captured the KNU headquarters at Manerplaw in January and overran the KNU stronghold of Kawmoora the next month.

53.   Burmese troops have been moving to Shan State, in eastern Burma, since February when they defeated ethnic Karen insurgents to the south.

54.   Burmese troops have eased the military pressure on Karen rebels but have stepped up the propaganda war to try to encourage defectors.

55.   Burmese troops were led by Buddhist Karen who had deserted the mainly Christian leadership when they overran Manerplaw.

56.   Border sources said Wednesday that Thai troops had pushed Karen refugees -- possibly including women and children -- back across the border into the path of advancing Burmese troops.

57.   Burmese troops have broken a two-year truce with Karen insurgents, mounting an attack after religious factionalism had split rebel ranks.

58.   Burmese troops were maneuvering Sunday to attack a makeshift Karen rebel headquarters along the Thai-Burmese border, as Thailand warned it would retaliate for any incursions.

59.   Burmese troops were now stationed at the frontier opposite but none had crossed into Thailand, he added.

60.   But a source at the border said Burmese troops had not yet entered the elaborate bunker system surrounding the camp which was said to be booby-trapped.