An artillery shell unleashed by the Military Council troops struck Kyaung Shar Kone village in the northern part of Kawkareik Township in Karen State, injuring four individuals including a 9 year-old girl, villagers told KIC.
On March 23rd at approximately 3:00 pm, the 97th Light Infantry Battalion of the Military Council based in Kawkareik, launched an unprovoked attack on Kyaung Shar Kone village. Despite the absence of any ongoing conflict, the battalion arbitrarily bombarded the village, resulting in an explosion that injured four innocent villagers.
“ Today, the Military Council shelled our village without any combat situation, injuring four villagers. We don’t know any more details ”, a villager who did not want to be named said.
The injured were U Tun Kyaing (aka) Hpa Pei (50), Naw Phaw Baw (50), Saw Min Htike (18) and Naw Ta Kyo Phaw (9). They have been allocated to Kawkareik and Hpa-An hospitals for medical treatment.
“All of them have been taken to the hospital. Naw Phaw Baw’s back wound was severe and bleeding heavily, causing her to feel dizzy. Her condition is very worrying ”, a villager who helped to send the wounded to the hospital told KIC.
In a similar incident, on March 21st, the 97th Light Infantry Battalion, based in Kawkareik, carried out a random shelling that resulted in the destruction of several houses and the loss of livestock in Ywa Thit village.