Kawkayeik, 27 December
Around 40 houses were burned down amid intense fighting in Karen State’s Kawkayeik Township on 25 December, said locals.
Since December 1, fighting has flared up between the junta army and the joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in Kawkayeik, forcing almost all residents in the town to flee.
Locals said that nearly 40 houses were burned to ashes in No. 5 Hlaing new ward of Kawkayeik, where many residents had fled.
This was an arson attack, and no group claimed responsibility for the attack when regime troops and revolutionary forces were present in Kawkayeik at that time.
Locals also reported items that were lost as a result of burglars breaking into and stealing them from unoccupied dwellings.
Tension remains intense between the two sides due to recent fighting, and the regime forces firing artillery shells frequently.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo-CJ