In December 2024, a total of eight civilians, including children, were killed in Loikaw Township and the Moe Bye and Pekon areas along the Karenni-Shan border, according to data released by the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG).
On December 3, a 14-year-old boy tragically lost his life in an airstrike near Sai Kun village in western Pekon Township. The following day, December 4, a drone strike targeted a displacement camp in Moe Bye, resulting in the deaths of three civilians. On December 31, another airstrike struck a displacement camp in Sin Sar Khaing, located in eastern Loikaw Township, claiming the lives of three more civilians. Additionally, a man was killed in a landmine explosion in Moe Bye, resulting the ongoing dangers faced by local residents.
Most civilian casualties were caused by airstrikes, which targeted areas without any military presence but populated by civilians. A local resident stated,
“The junta continues to act in their usual way, indiscriminately targecting and attacking civilians. The fear of airstrikes is increasing. Even during the New Year period, the bombing continued, leaving us worried about when and where they’ll strike next.”
In December alone, it is reported that the eight fatalities included two children under the age of 10, three men, and three women. Furthermore, 19 people were injured in airstrikes and drone bombings, while 78 homes were destroyed. The junta launched six airstrikes on civilian areas throughout the month, according to KnHRG.
Women’s rights activists have also highlighted the growing number of female and child casualties from the junta’s air and drone strikes, which often deliberately target civilians as the military suffers increasing losses on the battlefield as well as in politics.
A report by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on January 7 stated that 95 civilians were killed across Myanmar in December, including 14 children under 18. Among the fatalities were 59 men, 35 women, and one person from the LGBTQ+ community, with Mandalay Region recording the highest number of deaths.
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, to December 1, 2024, Karenni State and Kayan Region have endured 1,765 airstrikes, leading to 536 civilian deaths, according to the Progressive Karenni People’s Force (PKPF), as reported on January 1.
