Fourteen civilians have been killed and 24 others injured over the past month due to artillery shelling, drone strikes, and air raids by junta forces targeting Kyone Doe town and nearby areas in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, according to the Mon Liberation Army (MLA).
The MLA reported that the victims include two children as young as three, a pregnant woman, and a 64-year-old elder. The injuries include monks and primary school children, with some victims suffering severe trauma, including the loss of limbs.
On May 20, an airstrike on Lay Taing village near Kyone Doe killed a man and a woman. A day earlier, on May 19, a teacher participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) who had returned to check on his home in Kyun Kalay village was killed by junta artillery fired from LIB-546, stationed in Kyone Doe.
“There have been no active battles in Kyone Doe town itself, but junta troops continue to shell surrounding villages. Sometimes their shells land in town as well,” said a local resident.
The attacks intensified following joint assaults by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied forces on junta bases in Kawkareik and Kyone Doe on April 15, sparking clashes between both sides.
In retaliation, the junta launched widespread artillery strikes, drone attacks, and air raids on surrounding villages. Civilian infrastructure including homes, monasteries, mosques, and schools has been damaged or destroyed. Thousands of residents have fled to seek safety.
Resistance forces have urged civilians in Kyone Doe and neighboring villages to remain alert and take precautions due to the continuing risk of airstrikes amid ongoing clashes in the region.
