• Civilians injured and killed, buildings damaged by SAC air strikes and shelling; villagers forced to be human shields

Since February 15, over 1,000 SAC troops in 3 columns have been carrying out a large-scale offensive in and around Moebye town, to try and seize back control of this important gateway from southern Shan State to Karenni State. The SAC has used jet fighters, helicopters, bren-carriers and tanks during their attacks and continuously fired long-range mortar shells into the town area. These heavy ground and air attacks led to KNDF and KA temporarily retreating on February 24 from Nan Mae Khon town, which lies on the road from Moebye to Demwaso.

On February 14, at 10 am, the SAC launched four shells into a Catholic church compound in Daw Nga Khan quarter in Demawso township, damaging a religious building.  The SAC also set fire to a house in Daw Nga Rauk village, Ngwe Taung village tract, Demawso township.

On February 16, after indiscriminate shelling by SAC followed by a ground offensive into Moebye town, the SAC clashed heavily with combined forces of Moebye PDF, Loikaw PDF, Demawso PDF, KNDF and KGZ, slightly injuring two soldiers from the Karenni side, according to a Moebye PDF statement. The clashes occurred from 11 am to 4 pm. Due to indiscriminate shelling by SAC, a house was burned and damaged in Si Ghan 3 quarter. The SAC also arrested 10 civilians who were heading to their farms at an exit of Moebye town and forced them to walk with them as human shields. Moreover, that evening at 8 pm, combined troops of KDF, GZ-21 and Loikaw PDF ambushed a small SAC camp at Daw U Khu quarter in Loikaw town, killing four SAC soldiers.

On February 17, heavy clashes occurred throughout the day in Moebye town, and at Haik Kwi dam and near Hwarisuplair village. Two SAC bren-carriers were damaged and 20 SAC soldiers were killed, while seven Moebye PDF soldiers were killed and six were injured. While heavy clashes occurred in Moebye town, the SAC used artillery, tanks and 2 jet fighters to bomb the town with seven airstrikes. Due to indiscriminate shelling by the SAC, two women and five men were injured, and one of them died. Moreover, five houses were burned and damaged. All the residents of Hwarisuplair village, where heavy clashes took place, fled from the clashes.

A young girl injured by SAC shelling

A house damaged by a SAC air strike

On February 18, a clash occurred in the north of Wee Theh Ku village killing at least 25 SAC soldiers, including officers, and injuring several others. During the clash, three Demawso PDF were injured and some soldiers from the alliance of combined troops were also injured, according to a Demawso PDF statement. SAC used two tanks during the attack against the Karenni armed forces, and two jet fighters also came at 4 pm and dropped bombs.

On February 19, while SAC was carrying out a mass offensive against the villages of Hwarisuplair, Lewoe, and Wi Theh Ku (North), they clashed with PDF, KNDF and KA, who damaged three SAC military trucks, and killed 40 SAC soldiers including some officers, while 20 soldiers from the Karenni armed forces were killed.

On February 21, at 8 am, LIB 422 based in Moebye town indiscriminately shelled into villages in Pekhon township injuring a 70-year-old man, U Angello and a 14-year-old girl, Ma Caromin, and damaging some houses. On the same day, two Catholic priests, Fr John Paul Lwel and Fr John Bosco, who were trying to help the IDPs, were arrested together with two children and two drivers when they were stopped at a SAC check point in southern Shan State.

On February 23, at around 6 pm, SAC aircraft bombed areas near Nam Mae Khon, west of Demawso town, killing two civilians who were driving a motorbike on the road to Nam Mae Khon. Moreover, two civilians from Daw Kamee and Hsee Li Done were killed by bombs and four were seriously injured. Five houses were hit by aerial bombs while one house was burned and damaged. Also, three houses from Nam Hsar Kam village were burned and damaged.

On February 25, a clash occurred between SAC and combined PDF troops at Thar Yup village in Nan Mae Khon town, killing 20 SAC soldiers, while one KDF soldier was killed and three were injured.

On February 27, KNDF launched a sniper attack on a LIB 428 checkpoint in Pruso town killing two SAC soldiers and injuring many of them, according to a KNDF BO 4 statement. On the same day, due to indiscriminate shelling by SAC in Daw Ta Ngu village in Demawso township, 5 houses and a nursery school were damaged and some livestock were killed.

• IDPs targeted by airstrikes, and shot dead when returning home to fetch belongings

On February 27, the SAC launched airstrikes on the village of Lo Bar Kho in Demawso township, where many IDPs from different villages were taking shelter. Two houses were damage by SAC bombing. This forced the IDPs to flee in terror to other places.

On the same day, at 8 am, 4 IDPs who had returned to Lweh Ying Mingalar in Moebye town and Haik Kwi village to take their belongings were shot and killed by the SAC.

Contact persons:

Khu Ko Reh                 Tel: +666 5329 7814
Khu Ruby                    Tel: +666 3184 2980
Website : www.karennicsn.org
Facebook: Karenni Csn
Email: [email protected]

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