According to Karen National Union (KNU), more than 15,000 residents have fled from fighting in Khale-Takhuntaing Village, Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State.
On September 12, a military junta force of approximately 100 soldiers entered Khale-Takhuntaing village to reinforce the Takhuntaing police station.
The force included the No. 2 Infantry Regiment from Kyaikto Division 44, the Ahbit Infantry Regiment-318, the Border Guard Force (BGF) Battalion 1021, and the BGF Regiment 3 which falls under the Southeast Regional Command.
On the morning of September 14, these military forces encountered the joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), leading to the onset of hostilities.
During the battle, the Mawlamyine East Taung Military Command launched an air attack using a Mi-35P Attack Helicopter, and an artillery unit based in Ahbit Village, Mudon Township, fired 122mm mortar shells.
On September 15th, approximately 100 troops from the BGF Battalion 3 which operates under the Southeast Regional Military Command joined the battle, leading to a tense situation with the KNLA joint forces.
After the fighting, the military junta conducted airstrikes, causing residents from Khale Ywalay, Khale Ywa kyi, Takhuntaing, Myohaung, Pulain, Naungdae, and other villages in the Khale-Takhuntaing village group to flee.
On September 14th, the KNU announced that over 15,000 local residents had fled the area.
Currently, in Kyainseikgyi Township, heavy rains have made it challenging for internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to find adequate accommodation and shelter. According to KNU, the absence of a dedicated IDP camp is causing significant difficulties. In addition, there is an urgent need for food, medicine, and health care services .
During the Khale-Takhuntaing battle, a military junta airstrike killed a soldier from the KNLA joint force and damaged a village school and several homes, according to KNU.
In Khale-Takhuntaing village, which is located within the 6th Brigade of the Karen National Union (KNU) in the Doo Pla Ya district, there are frequent clashes between the military junta and the joint forces of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).
In addition to civilian casualties resulting from the conflict, the military junta arrested and killed civilians, leading to frequent evacuations of thousands of local residents.
On the Khale-Takhuntaing side, a fierce battle occurred between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and its joint forces last July, forcing local residents from Naungdae, Pulain, Khale, Takhuntaing, and other villages in the region to seek safety elsewhere.
