Karen State — In Kawkareik Township, Karen State, the Taung Kyar Inn village road section has become a hotspot for illicit activities, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, and the transportation of unlicensed vehicles, with the involvement of both Karen groups aligned with Junta troops, according to Taung Kyar Inn residents.
A resident from Taung Kyar Inn village stated, "In our area, even amidst the ongoing conflicts, selling drugs, smuggling Rohingya, and trafficking unlicensed vehicles have become common practices. Those involved pay a toll at a checkpoint for unrestricted passage. On the other hand, regular civilian and local vehicles are barred from crossing. At present, various armed groups, in alliance with the military, have seized this opportunity to operate the checkpoint and extort money, resulting in significant financial gains."
In recent times, conflict between the military and the joint forces of the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) has been ongoing in the vicinity of Taung Kyar Inn Monastery, Taung Kyar Inn High School, and the Taung Kyar Inn Haungthayaw River Bridge. As a result, more than a thousand residents have been forced to flee their residences.
According to a military source, on September 28, KNDO joint forces conducted a drone attack on the Taung Kyar Inn monastery, where military personnel were stationed. This attack resulted in the death of two military council troops and left one seriously injured.
Despite the ongoing conflict, according to a resident, the military and the ceasefire Karen armed group (the KNLA-peace group) continue their illicit operations, smuggling Rohingya individuals and transporting unlicensed vehicles from the Koe Taing road intersection to the villages of Taung Kyar Inn, Laung Kaing, Hpar Kya, and Naung Talar. These activities generate substantial daily earnings, amounting to hundreds of thousands of kyats.A resident of Taung Kyar Inn revealed, "On a daily basis, the military, PC, DKBA, and BGF ask for money. If you pass unlicensed vehicles and vehicles transporting Rohingyas, you will have to pay 100,000 kyat. There are many checkpoints, and they continue to ask for money even amid the ongoing conflict.”
A resident from Laung Kaing village has pointed out that the sale and consumption of drugs in the villages have reached a concerning level where they are being traded and used openly, without any measures of law-enforcement being deployed.
A resident from Laung Kaing village disclosed, "Currently within our village, the relatives and family members of armed organizations collaborating with the military are involved in drug trafficking. However, due to their affiliations with these armed groups, we are hesitant to address this issue openly.
The local KNU/KNLA resistance forces have not been making significant arrests or taking action, exacerbating the situation. Consequently, we're witnessing a rise in both drug users and addicts, including members of the resistance and the youth in our community."
According to information obtained from military sources within the joint forces, in the regions along the Koe Taing, Taung Kyar Inn, and Kyar Inn Seik Gyi road sections, the Military Council troops are currently launching artillery shells toward the villages. Concurrently, the revolutionary joint forces are conducting drone attacks and guerrilla-style shootings against military positions.
