Five civilians, including four children under the age of 18, were killed in targeted attacks by the military council in Karenni (Kayah) State in February, according to a statement released by the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) on 4 March.
Tar Eh Soe, spokesperson of the KNDF, said that most of the deaths were caused by artillery fire, but there were also fatalities resulting from airstrikes.
“A 10-year-old child from a village on the eastern bank of Pekon was hit and killed by a heavy shell. Heavy shell hit and killed two 17-year-old boys in a village in Loikaw Township,” said Tar Eh Soe.
The five victims were two 10-year-old children, two 17-year-old boys and an elderly woman, according to the KNDF statement.
In addition, the KNDF reports that the junta’s attacks burned down at least 50 houses, four schools, and four religious buildings.
According to collected data, the junta’s shelling, airstrikes, and drone attacks killed at least 11 civilians and injured more than 20 others in Karenni State during January and February 2025.
In recent days, the junta has been carrying out airstrikes, shelling, and drone strikes on civilian areas far from the conflict zone in Loikaw, Demoso, Pekon, and Moebye, leading to civilian injuries and the destruction of houses, according to locals.
“I constantly hear the sounds of jet fighters, and it’s making me unhappy to live here. I’m already worried, even though the shelling hasn’t affected anyone yet,” said a resident from eastern Demoso.
Since the coup until 3 March 2025, the junta’s attacks have killed 6,378 civilians. In the last week of February, the junta’s airstrikes killed 22 civilians, according to a statement by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on 4 March.
sent by Kantarawaddy Times