March 9th, 2022
Fighting resumed on March 7th as the military council troops started firing heavy weapons in Lay Kay Kaw new town and nearby areas, the Karen National Union (KNU) says.
About the fighting near Lay Kay Kaw new town under the KNU’s Brigade-6 in Myawaddy Township, Padoh Saw Taw Nee, head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the KNU said: “As far as I know, fighting erupted when the military council troops entered Lay Kay Kaw yesterday morning. There were clashes near the artillery hill and the park in Lay Kay Kaw. Then, the junta troops proceeded to Yathaegu. Fighting also took place there.”
Since March 2nd, a combined force of the military council troops and the Border Guard Force (BGF) has conducted offensive operations in the areas where the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) is active. Since then, fighting is taking place on Falulay-Yathaegu road section which is adjacent to Lay Kay Kaw area every day, the KNU says.
On March 7th, fighting took place in Lay Kay Kaw new town and nearby areas. On March 8th, there were no reports of clashes.
There is a military tension in Lay Kay Kaw new town and nearby areas. Fighting may take place at any time as the military council troops have not withdrawn from the area yet, the KNU says.
Falulay IDPs are concerned about possible airstrikes at night as the military council is conducting aerial surveillance.
On December 14th, the military council troops entered Lay Kay Kaw new town and arrested more than 13 persons including a MP. The following day, the junta troops again entered the new town to search for the members of the PDFs. After that, fighting erupted there. Locals are facing difficulties as they are taking shelter along Thaungyin River on the Thai-Myanmar border and in the forests, according to the IDPs and those who help the IDPs.
Although the IDPs want to return to their homes, fighting may resume at any time due to the deployment of troops in the villages and nearby areas. So, the IDPs continue to stay in the forests, he added.
Due to the ongoing fighting, more than 6,000 civilians from five villages including Lay Kay Kaw are taking shelter along Thaungyin River on the Thai-Myanmar border and in the forests.
There were 289 clashes between a combined force of the military council troops and the BGF and a combined force of the KNLA and the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) in the KNU’s Kawthoolei in late February, killing 305 soldiers of the military council and the BGF and injuring 209 others, according to the KNU’s statement.
Sent by the NMG.