Kawthoolei, March (12)
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)/Karen National Defense Force (KNDO) and the junta-affiliated Border Guard Force (BGF) engaged in 418 fights in territory controlled by the KNU in February, reported the KNU on March 11.
The KNU statement said that 386 soldiers were killed and 267 were injured in the fighting that took place within a month, while the KNLA/KNDO lost two soldiers and 27 were injured.
The regime forces carried out 21 aerial bombardments targeting civilians in the Kawthoolei area, and 351 rounds of heavy artillery were fired by the joint force of the junta army and BGF.
The junta attacks destroyed 44 homes, one college, two monasteries, two Christian churches, two clinics, and 25 public buildings, as well as 21 other public houses that were also burned down by the regime troops for no reason, the KNU reported.
The military council army and BGF forces have committed human rights violations such as aerial bombardment of villages and workplaces where civilians live, deliberate firing with heavy weapons, planting mines on public roads, and randomly shooting civilians with guns, resulting in the deaths of 11 civilians.
The KNU also reported that a total of 41 civilians, including five monks, were injured as a result of the attacks by the junta and the BGF.
The Karen civil organizations have announced that more than 500,000 civilians have fled due to military activities and human rights violations by junta armed forces in the KNU’s Kawthoolei area, and the IDPs are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo – KNU