Statement on the arrest and killing of civilians, by the military junta, in Shadaw Township, Karenni State

Statement on the arrest and killing of civilians, by the military junta, in Shadaw Township, Karenni State

In the evening of 4 February 2024, about 60 soldiers of 249th Infantry Battalion of the military junta based in Mong Ping, Taunggyi township arrested three families who were fleeing the war in a cultivation field in Shadaw Township and took them as guides and human shields. Then, they brutally murdered a total of 8 civilians including 3 women, one of whom was pregnant, 4 children, 1 unborn baby and a man around 8 am on 5 February 2024.

On the same day, the terrorist military council also carried out airstrikes and shelling in Daw See Ei village and Loi Nang Hpa village in Demoso township, killing 4 innocent school children and 1 male IDP so a total of 5 were killed.

The above tragedies are the deliberate targeting of civilians are human rights violations and war crimes of the military junta so we condemn them strongly.

To put an end to the continuous perpetration of such horrible human rights violations, we urge and request international organizations such as the United Nations and neighboring countries to investigate and punish the perpetrators of these war crimes in international military tribunals and to continue to provide effective assistance to the civilian women and children who suffered.

We announce that we will implement justice to the bereaved families who have encountered such tragedies and to the innocent children, women and civilians who were harmed and killed and will bring an end to the military dictator and all dictators.