Five people including a pastor were killed and seven wounded in the military council’s airstrikes on a church on Lay Wah village in Pay Kay village-tract in Lutaw Township in Mutraw (Hpapun) District in No.5 Brigade-controlled territory of the Karen National Union (KNU), at 2 pm on January 15, the KNU confirmed.
“The military council dropped six bombs in Lay Wah village with two jet fighters. We cannot scrutinize it as villagers have fled for safety,” Colonel Saw Ka Lae Htoo, Spokesperson of No.5 Brigade of the KNU told the Karen Information Center (KIC).
The airstrikes displaced locals near Lay Wah village, according to local news sources.
On January 7, six innocent civilians were killed in the military council’s airstrikes in Laehtoopho village of Maethu village-tract in Dwe Loe Township in Mutraw District.
On the same day, the military council dropped around 20 grenades in No-5 Brigade-controlled areas with seven jet fighters. The airstrikes resulted in casualties of villagers and destroyed their plantations, according to the KNU’s statement.
According to the list compiled by the KNU’s No-5 Brigade, there were 2,737 clashes in its controlled territory in 2022. The military council conducted 35 airstrikes and dropped 182 grenades.
Five members of the Chin National Front (CNF) were killed in the military council’s bombings on the CNF headquarters with three jet fighters on January 9.
Sent by KIC