A military column of the Border Guard Force (BGF) which entered Meepone village in Tagaungboe village-tract in Hpa-An Township in Thaton District Brigade-1 controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU) carried out indiscriminate firing and then burned down a house on December 10, according to locals.
A military column of around 50 members, led by Bo Tin Win from BGF-1014, Company-2, entered Meepone village and nearby area. They carried out indiscriminate firing in the village.
At around 2 pm on December 11, they destroyed a house in which a grocery shop is open, in Meepone village. The BGF members also threatened and shot youths on motorcycles, according to a local.
“They (BGF) burned down a grocery store. Many soldiers entered the village. They fired shots along the road in the village. They laughed at us when we told them that shooting will hit our village. They entered another house hit by artillery shells, drank beers from the ice bucket and took money,” a local told the KIC.
Indiscriminate shooting destroyed some houses, injured a local and killed and injured some cattle. Almost all locals from Meepone village have fled to other villages, a local added.
The BGF entered Brigade-1-controlled territory via the KNU’s Brigade-7-controlled Shwegun village without any clash there. The BGF carried out indiscriminate firing in Meepone village for one day and one night, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) commander confirmed.
“The BGF intentionally carried out indiscriminate firing into the village, without any clash with the KNLA. We (KNLA) fired warning shots yesterday evening after they burned down a house in the village. Our shooting is not near that house. We have heard they went to Kamamaung,” the commander of the KNLA told the KIC.
The force led by Bo Tin Win from the BGF is active in Hpa-An Township which is the territory of the KNU Brigade-1. There are frequent exchanges of fire. In late November, the BGF forced the people from the nearby village to build the Phayakone camp near Meiktila village for the accommodation of army families, according to the KNU’s statement.
On November 17, the force led by Company Commander Bo Maung Nyein from Company-2 of the BGF-1011 carried out indiscriminate shootings in Mikayin village in Hpa-An Township, killing two civilians and injuring two others.
Sent by KIC