A statement released by the Karen Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) on 6 June claims that in the two years since the military coup, 2,056 members of the Myanmar army have been killed by resistance forces.
Among the deaths on the regime side are captains and commanders. A KNDF official in charge of intelligence and information claimed that some Myanmar army commanders also escaped, but could not substantiate this with a concrete list.
“We can’t say the exact number of captains and commanders. Because we didn’t make an accurate list of them. There were many deaths, but it is hard for us to give an estimate. For example, in the battle of Dawtamagyi, company commanders up to the rank of commander were killed. Even their strategist had to flee. This is what really happened,” the KNDF official told Kantarawaddy Times.
Moreover, the statement said that the resistance forces have captured ten Myanmar army camps on the frontline in the past two years.
Since May 2021, the Myanmar army has conducted offensives in Karenni (Kayah) State with battalions LID 66 and 99, MOC 2 and 7, and LID 101, as well as locally based battalions.
In addition to deploying MOC 7 and 2 and LID 66 to the Shan-Karenni border, the regime has also deployed LID 66 along with locally based battalions in Loikaw and Demoso townships, the statement said.
The KNDF also said in the statement that LID 99, MOC 2 and LID 101 continue to conduct offensives alongside locally deployed battalions in eastern Demoso, Bawlakhe and Hpruso townships.
“There have also been clashes with them in Moebye. We have also clashed with columns of local battalions and LID 66, which have maintained their presence in the downtown areas. Since March, there have been battles with columns of the junta advancing on Loikaw near the villages of Dawse, Dawtangu and Tanilar. The fighting is still going on,” he said of the current military situation.
In the two years of armed conflict, a total of 340 clashes were recorded in Demoso Township, followed by 170 in Pekon, 126 in Loikaw, 113 in Hpruso, 49 in Pinlaung, 67 in Bawlakhe, 22 in Shadaw, four in Mese and two in Hpasawng, while 153 members of the KNDF were killed in combat, the KNDF statement said.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times