A man was killed and two women were injured after artillery shells fired by the military struck near Anan Kwin, a strategic military post located along the Thanbyuzayat-Three Pagodas Pass road in Kyain Seikgyi Township, Karen State. The shells were reportedly fired as the military reinforcements approached the area, according to local sources.
The military column advancing toward the Anan Kwin post faced resistance from resistance forces, prompting them to set up camp near Ye Ta Khon village and shell nearby villages with heavy artillery.
The incident occurred on December 17 around midday, when artillery shells fired from the military position near Ye Ta Khon village hit the areas around Win Taung and Nan Khwee villages, resulting in civilian casualties, according to local sources.
“On that day (December 17), at about 1 p.m., shells were fired from the military troops stationed near Ye Ta Khon village toward Win Taung and Nan Khwee villages near Anan Kwin. A man died, and two women sustained shrapnel injuries,” a local source reported.
The deceased was identified as U Aung Chit, a 70-year-old resident of Win Taung village. Daw Mu Lin Kyi, 50, and Daw Pa Kyi, 53, were injured.
The military column, stationed at the Wekalee base in Thanbyuzayat Township, frequently launches operations through Ye Ta Khon and Sakan Gyi villages toward Anan Kwin. Additional reinforcements from the Southeastern Regional Command are reportedly being sent to support these operations.
Armed conflicts around Anan Kwin intensified in mid-August when Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) forces and allied resistance groups launched an offensive against the military’s strategic post in the area. The clashes have since escalated.
Currently, the military columns stationed near Anan Kwin continue to shell villages daily, including the Anan Kwin strategic hill. The ongoing shelling has resulted in a growing number of displaced villagers, according to local sources.
