The junta has deployed multiple airstrikes in an attempt to stop the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) from taking its artillery base on Swe Taw Kone Hill north of Myawaddy in Karen State.
The artillery base, on a hill near Lay Kay Kaw Town, in Myawaddy Township north of Myawaddy Town, has been encircled by KNLA-led forces since July 2024. On 29 September 2024 the fighting around the base escalated. This prompted the junta to launch multiple airstrikes to try and defend the base, according to a KNLA frontline source familiar with the fighting.
He said: “The artillery base on the hill is heavily damaged, but the tactical operation commander [The commander of the artillery base] still refuses to surrender, so the fighting continues. The base’s concrete bunkers have collapsed, and they're almost out of food and ammunition. Despite this, they’re relying on air superiority to resist, and their snipers remain a significant threat on the ground. More detailed military information will be provided by the relevant officials.”
On 29 and 30 September Y12 aircraft and MiG-29 fighter jets launched about 10 airstrikes on the the area around Lay Kay Kaw Town near the artillery base and also in Mewakhe, Mehtawthalay, Minletpan, Letkhattaung, and Yathaytgu villages in Myawaddy Township. They dropped 500 pound bombs and launched missiles.
Another frontline fighter from the KNLA-led alliance said: "On 29 September and throughout 30 September until around 9:00 p.m., junta aircraft launched repeated attacks. Currently, Infantry Battalion (IB) 275 in Myawaddy Town has deployed artillery batteries and is heavily bombarding the areas around Letkhattaung and Lay Kay Kaw. The artillery base is in a severely deteriorated condition with very little strength left.”
The Swe Taw Kone Hill artillery base has been strongly fortified since 2003. Currently it is being defended by soldiers from IB-276, Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 8, LIB 188 and LIB 102, all of which are part of the junta’s Division 44.
According to official lists the base was manned by 107 junta soldiers, but an officer from the KNLA-led alliance attacking the base said the junta had suffered such high casualty numbers he estimated that there may now be fewer than 70 soldiers defending the base.
An alliance of KNLA led resistance fighters have also surrounded and are attempting to take junta bases in the townships of Kawkareik, Kyondoe, Myawaddy and Hpapun and around the town of Payathonzu (Three Pagodas Pass) in Karen State. Again, the junta is primarily relying on airstrikes to counter these offensives.
