The Military Junta has been carrying out continuous airstrikes on villages in the southern part of Kawkareik Township, Karen State, according to local sources.
At around 1:00 AM on March 5, the Military Junta dropped two bombs on Asorn village in southern Kawkareik, damaging three houses, according to villagers from the affected area.
“We were hit by an airstrike around 1:00 AM. This is the first time our village (Asorn village) has been attacked like this. They dropped two bombs, and some houses were damaged. Fortunately, no one was injured. But everything around the houses was destroyed, including rice supplies. There was no fighting here; they just bombed us for no reason,” said a female villager from the affected area.
Earlier, at around 1:00 PM on March 4, the Military Junta launched an airstrike using a fighter jet on a school in Dout Blann village, southern Kawkareik, destroying the school and causing casualties, sources said.
“They bombed Botdine (Dout Blann village) during the day and then attacked our village at night. There were fatalities in Botdine, and some people were injured, but we don’t know the exact numbers because it’s too dangerous to go there. The Military Junta is bombing randomly, even when nothing is happening. People here are now living in constant fear,” said the same villager.
Local residents in southern Kawkareik are struggling to stock up on food supplies in case they need to flee due to escalating clashes. However, Military Junta forces have imposed restrictions on food transportation, making it difficult for villagers to prepare.
“Near the No. 1 Primary School in Ngar Tine village, soldiers conduct strict inspections. If we try to buy and transport large amounts of food, it’s difficult to move around. On top of that, phone lines in the villages have been cut off,” said a Kawkareik local.
Currently, heavy fighting continues in Kan Nwe and Ywar Thit Kone villages, and the Military Junta’s airstrikes on nearby villages are linked to these ongoing battles, according to a resistance fighter engaged in the Kawkareik conflict.
“The fighting is still ongoing. We are preparing to move forward. Every day, both sides suffer casualties. The Military Junta is continuously shelling and conducting airstrikes on villages near Kawkareik,” said the resistance fighter.
Since early February, the Military Junta has been attempting to advance towards villages near Kawkareik town, but resistance forces have countered these offensives, leading to intensified clashes.
In 2024, resistance forces captured Kawkareik town, but according to resistance sources, due to air support and reinforcements from the Military Junta, their troops gradually regained positions within the town.
