25-7-2023 (YANGON) The ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military and Karenni resistance forces in Kayah State, opposite Mae Hong Son, has escalated following recent airstrikes by the Myanmar Army. According to a Karenni Army source, Karenni soldiers were deployed to ambush Myanmar troops at their Takhaekong base opposite Mae Hong Son’s Pang Moo and Mok Champae sub-districts.
In retaliation, the Myanmar military launched four airstrikes using FTC-2000G and K-8 aircraft from 6 pm on Saturday to 6 pm on Sunday. The source added that the airstrikes injured three Karenni soldiers. The intensification of hostilities has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of civilians caught up in the conflict.
Since the conflict began, thousands of Karenni people have been forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in neighbouring Mae Hong Son. As of Sunday, July 23, some 9,064 Karenni people had fled the war in Kayah State, with 4,473 in Mae Sariang district, 820 in Khun Yuam district, and 3,771 in Muang district. The situation remains volatile, and there are fears that the conflict could escalate further.
The conflict in Kayah State is just one of several ongoing conflicts in Myanmar, which has been wracked by violence and instability since the military seized power in a coup earlier this year. The coup has sparked widespread protests and a civil disobedience movement, with many people taking to the streets to demand a return to democracy.
