Kawkayeik, December (22)
The fighting between the combined force of KNLA and junta forces in Kawkayeik Township of the KNU’s Brigade 6 remains intense, and the junta continues to carry out airstrikes, the civilians told Than Lwin Times.
There has been ongoing heavy fighting since the KNLA joint forces attacked the Light Infantry Battalion 231 at Hlaingwa village in southern part of Kawkayeik and another junta detachment on the Kawkayeik-Kyondoe route on December 16.
During the fighting between the two sides, the military council army’s aerial bombardment and mortar fire damaged many houses and injured the local residents.
The junta army carried out aerial bombardment and shelling early on December 18 against Yankoke village in northern Kawkayeim and Kawnwet village in southern Kawkayeik, resulting in the destruction of some homes, the KNLA joint force reported.
Similar to this, the KNU claimed that the people of Kawkayeik’s Pharkya village no longer dare to stay there out of fear after the regime forces assaulted the village with mortars on December 18 at noon, destroying four houses.
According to the information center of NUG’s southern military regional command, the conflict that erupted in Kawnwet village close to Asian Highway in Kawkayeik Township resulted in some casualties on junta side army and three KNLA/PDF comrades sustained injuries.
Residents reported that a mortar shell fired by the junta army in Kawnwet village injured a nine-year-old boy and a 98-year-old man.
Thousands of local residents have recently fled their homes as a result of the military council’s frequent airstrikes and mortar shelling in the KNU’s 5th Brigade (Hpapun District) and 6th Brigade (Dooplaya District).
News-Than Lwin Times
