At least 20 military council soldiers were killed and two military vehicles destroyed in the battles along Loikaw-Moebye road from 20 to 28 July.
Some ammunition and military equipment were also seized from the military council, an official of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) said.
The information officer of the KNDF said: “The military convoy entered 54-military Division. The military convoys have arrived in the military camps based in Loikaw. More than 20 military council soldiers were killed in the battles in Loikaw. On 24 July, our combined force ambushed the military convoy. Two vehicles from the military council were destroyed in the ambush.”
The KNDF seized related arms, ammunition and other materials including five MA-1 rifles, one MA-2 mid-range rifles and two MA-3 rifles from the military council, he continued.
The KNDF’s Battalion-3 and its allies ambushed the military convoy along the road as the military council carried out reinforcement of troops in Loikaw via Pekon-Moebye road, the information officer of the KNDF continued.
On 24 and 25 July, a combined force of the Karenni Army (KA), the KNDF’s battalion-2, Battalion-12 and Battalion-14, KNDF-Explosion and Technique Department (ETD) and Loikaw People’s Defense Force (PDF) ambushed the military column marching towards Mawcheesusee village at the entrance of Loikaw and the military convoy which is leaving Moebye for Loikaw, an information officer of the KNDF said.
The military council is entering Karenni State via Pekon-Moebye-Loikaw road using the military vehicles and civilian vehicles. Fighting takes place almost every day as the Karenni combined force is carrying out ambush attacks on the military council along the road, the information officer added.
Due to the ongoing fighting, not only the people from Nwarlawoe village in Loikaw Township but also the people from nearby villages have fled to safer places, he continued.
The KNDF has requested the public to be vigilant as fighting may occur at any time due to the military council’s military operations on Loikaw-Moebye-Pekon road.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times