A drone strike carried out by the military junta’s Infantry Battalion 208, under the Southeastern Regional Command, has damaged three civilian vehicles in Kyaikmaraw Township, Mon State, according to resistance forces.
The attack occurred near the SaBaeGuu Bridge, where junta troops are stationed. On February 16, the military launched a drone strike targeting a resistance checkpoint at the Kaw Dun-Kaw Panaw intersection. While no casualties were reported, three civilian vehicles were hit and damaged.
“Around midday on February 16, the junta used drones to drop bombs on a resistance checkpoint at the Kaw Dun-Kaw Panaw junction. The attack took place near an administrative checkpoint of the New Mon State Party (NMSP-AD), which had remained inactive for some time. Following the strike, residents of Kaw Dun and Kaw Panaw shut down their shops and stayed indoors. The roads are now deserted,” said a resistance fighter in the area.
The junta’s drone unit launched the attack in two waves—two bombs were dropped around 11:00 a.m., followed by another two bombs at approximately 1:00 p.m.
The military has since tightened security checks on civilians traveling through the SaBaeGuu Bridge. Local sources report that resistance forces remain stationed nearby, raising concerns that clashes could break out at any time.
“Both ends of the SaBaeGuu Bridge are heavily guarded by junta troops, and there is an additional checkpoint at the entrance from Kyaikmaraw. Since reinforcements arrived, they’ve constructed more fortifications. Junta soldiers are stopping motorbikes, inspecting identification documents, and questioning travelers. Just beyond the bridge, resistance checkpoints are nearby, making an outbreak of fighting highly likely,” said a resident of Kaw Panaw.
Since late 2024, the military junta has increasingly relied on drone strikes instead of air raids in its territorial control efforts, according to resistance sources.
