Kawkayeik, 30 December
The military regime’s air strike injured at least five civilians, including two monks and a child, in Taungkyarinn village in Karen State’s Kawkayeik Township, and destroyed several houses, said locals.
The revolutionary forces led by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Karen National Defence Force (KNDO) recently launched attacks on Taungkyarinn high school and police stations where regime troops are stationed on Kawkayeik-Taungkyarinn-Kyarinnseikkyi in the KNU Brigade 6 area.
The attack intensified the fighting between the two sides on December 27 and 28, while the junta shelling destroyed houses in Taungkyarinn village.
On 28 December evening, the helicopter gunship strafed Taungkyarinn village, injuring at least five residents, including a child and monks, according to locals.
According to local sources, after the revolutionary forces captured the school and the Taungkyarinn police station on the night of December 28, and cleared the area, and some soldiers surrendered during the battle.
Taungkyarinn is located on the Kawkayeik-kyarinnseikkyi-Mudon road in the KNU Brigade 6 area of Karen State’s Kyondoe Township, and not too far from the Military Operation Command-12 in Kawkayeik.
Tension remains high between the junta army and revolutionary forces in Kawkayeik, and the anti-regime forces have taken control of the Thingyan Nyi Naung-Kawkayeik route, a portion of the Myawaddy-Kawkayeik road.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo-CJ