According to local sources, at least 15 civilians have been killed in Kawkareik township, Karen State, as a result of the fighting between the military junta and the joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) .
Fighting has been ongoing since November 30th to December 14th. The military junta has used mortar shells and airstrikes which have killed civilians and destroyed many homes.
“From the day the fighting started until today, about 15 people have died. In Tada-U, three people were killed by a mortar shell, a child, a grandfather, and a grandmother. On the first day of the battle, there were many deaths. Three or four drivers were also shot and died,” said a resident of Kawkareik, who is helping refugees.
At the entrance of Kawkareik township, as many as 7 civilians were killed from a military mortar shell explosion, noted another resident.
Another resident told IMNA that during the Kawkareik township battle, the military junta used mortar shells, small arms, and airstrikes to attack villages in and around the town.
“One day, an elderly lady and a man with a leg condition were shot while walking on the road. On another occasion, a person coming from Chaung Taung on a motorcycle, was also shot. Although I got hit in the leg, I survived. Locals are experiencing an increasing number of gunshot wounds, but I don’t know the exact dates,” he reported.
The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) troops are in Kawkareik township and military junta columns have been reinforced. Locals are worried that the fighting will intensify.
According to those providing assistance to these communities, nearly 20,000 local residents have fled to safer places, and humanitarian assistance is urgently needed.
