Dear friends,

Thank you for all your love, prayers and help. Here in northern Karen State, there are over 40,000 people displaced by attacks of the Burma Army with daily mortar and machine-gun attacks; villagers’ farms and homes are hit and villagers continue to be hit. Saw Kit Mae, 32 years old, is one of the villagers wounded and he is now being treated at our clinic.

Saw Kit Mae, 32, being treated for his wounds.

Saw Kit Mae’s wife and child at our clinic while he is being treated.

Saw Kit Mae receiving treatment.

(more photos below)

Update: Lu Thaw township, Papun District

On May 16 at 1530hrs, the Burma Army shelled from their base camp near Taw Mu Pler Mae into the Saw Mu Plaw area. The Burma Army unit Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 20 shot 15 rounds of mortars into the villagers’ fields, wounding Saw Ki Mae and forcing the villagers to stop their planting of rice and flee.

On May 17, the Burma Army LIB 20, in Ler Mu Plaw, shot into Taw Mu Pler Mae Village area at 2215hrs and also into Ler Mu Plaw villagers’ rice fields. Seven rounds were fired at 2215hrs and at 2230hrs they shot one more mortar.

On May 18 at 0800hrs the Burma Army shot mortars into Kaw Kyo Village as villagers fled.

On May 19 at 1732hrs the Burma Army shot more mortars into the Ler Mu Plaw area.

On May 22 at 0940hrs local time, the Burma Army shot eight mortar rounds down into Kaw Ter Der area at the civilians who were working their fields. Four landed in Ta Ner Shee Daw Ko Village area and four landed in Ker Ser Pa Village area.

On May 23 at 1933hrs local time, Burma Army Infantry Battalion (IB) 19 fired seven 60mm mortars from their long barreled mortar from their base to Ko Ka Paw Village. The rounds landed close to civilian homes and a rubber garden. Six exploded and one did not.

On May 24 at 1430hrs local time, 393 civilians left their homes because the Burma Army base in Ko Kaw Day fired mortars to Wah Kaw Hta Village area.

Update: Dwe Lo Township, Papun District

On May 18 at 1400hrs the Burma Army Military Operations Command (MOC) 8, LIB 407, occupied Ma Taw They and shot mortars into Thwa Ko Lo Village. Villagers who fled told us, “Because the Burma Army comes to stay in our village and more and more and shoot the mortars, it is more and more also difficult for us villagers to travel and to work on our farms. Now it is not easy for us. Now is the time to do the farm and plough the fields. We are now afraid we will not be able to plant rice.”

On May 20, at 1500hrs local time, Burma forces and their proxies, the Border Guard Force (BGF), burned down three house from Ta Thoo Kee Village. The three houses belonged to (1) Saw La Ba, family of 8 people, 4 F, 4 M, (2) Naw Dah, family of 6 people, 4 F, 2 M, (3) Mae Way Day Mo, family of 2 people, 1 F, 1 M.

Update: Thaton District, Karen State

The Burma Air Force flies jets and helicopters regularly over the district and ground troops shell villages and fields.

Ground attacks by the Burma Army continue as the Burma Army attempts to resupply and build up their camps. But there have been no airstrikes for over a week. There are weekly flights of jets and attack helicopters especially south of Papun in Thaton District.

So far we and others have been able to get rice to families in need and are distributing tarps for shelter.

Thank you and God bless you,

The Free Burma Rangers

Photos below show a Burma Air Force attack helicopter flying over Thaton District, south of Papun District, and damage to homes and fields by Burma Army mortars as they attacked in Thaton District.

View the original.