• Ongoing SAC offensives, indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial killing and torching of houses

During the past two weeks, SAC troops have continued to launch offensives to try and seize back control of the main transport routes into northwestern Karenni State, but have been countered by the local resistance forces. SAC troops have also tried to bring supplies down from Shan State along a jungle route east of the Salween River, but have been blocked so far. Unlike in previous weeks, there was no use of air strikes, perhaps due to low visibility as a result of widespread smoke from seasonal burning of hill fields.

On March 15, at 1:15 am, the SAC indiscriminately fired shells into Daw Hseh village in Demawso township where IDPs have been sheltering, damaging a clinic building. On the same day, a social worker team found 2 decomposed bodies near Daw U Khu quarter in Loikaw town, which were then buried.

On March 16, a clash occurred between SAC troops and combined KNDF and Pekhon PDF troops while the SAC was carrying out an offensive at Hsaw Kan village on the Shan- Karenni border. During the clash, 2 Pekhon PDF soldiers were killed while many SAC soldiers suffered casualties and a lot of ammunition was seized by the Karenni troops. At 8:30 pm, due to shelling by SAC, a house in Ghone Thar village in Loikaw township was damaged.

On March 18, at 7 am, the KNDF B-15 attacked Pruso town police station and LIB 531 base, killing 4  SAC soldiers and injuring several others. Moreover, Karenni resistance troops under the central special operation command, including snipers of the Loikaw PDF and Demawso PDF, attacked SAC troops who were camped at U Ku Re village in Demawso township, killing 4 SAC soldiers. On the same day, due to SAC shelling, a woman and a man from Tanee Lar Leh village in Demawso township were injured, and some cows in the village were killed.

On March 19-20, combined KA and KNDF troops attacked a SAC military checkpoint near Kayan Thar Yar crossroads in Loikaw township, killing 2 SAC soldiers, according to a KNDF statement. At 6 am on March 19, indiscriminate shelling by SAC damaged one house in the industrial zone quarter in Loikaw township.

On March 22, SAC troops set fire to a house in Htu Lwe Belar village, Demawso township. On the same day, two villagers, Min U and Thet Moo Aung, who were going to collect humanitarian aid supplies, were arrested at the Loikaw bus station under article 505 (a) and unjustly sentenced to 3 years in prison .

On March 23, the KNDF B-9 found 3 dead bodies of civilians from San Pya 6 Mile who were killed at Kayaw Paing in Demawso township. Those killed were among 5 IDPs who disappeared 2 months ago while they were returning to their village to collect rations.

On March 24, local PDF and 50 SAC soldiers clashed in Ngwe Taung Ywa Thit village in Pruso township causing casualties on both sides, according to a KNDF B-15 statement. During the clash, the SAC burned down local villagers’ houses. Moreover, the SAC arrested 6 social workers who were helping the Karenni IDPs in Taunggyi town, Shan state.

On March 25, combined troops of KA, KNDF B-09, KNDF B-19, and PDF (D) battalion clashed with SAC troops 2 times while SAC was carrying out an offensive at San Pya 6 Mile in Demawso township. One clash occurred at 10 am along the road in Bheh Ta Lein villag, 6 Mile village tract, Demawso town; and another at 4 pm along the road from Pan Kan and Daw Poe Si.

On March 26 at 7:45 am, SAC troops burned down villagers’ houses in 5 Mile village in Demawso township.

• Hot season causing increased water shortages for IDPs

The IDPs in Karenni state are continuing to face shortages of food, due to ongoing offensives and the difficulties of transporting aid rations along the main roads. The onset of the hot season is also causing the already scarce water sources to dry up, resulting in increased water shortages for the IDPs. In some areas the IDPs have to walk for up to an hour to collect water from the nearest water source, and then have to wait in turn to scoop up the scarce supply.

There are also reports that the Omicron strain of Covid 19 is spreading among the IDPs, but there is no testing equipment to confirm this. There are already shortages of medicine to treat the IDPs.

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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