13 innocent civilians including monks were killed, when the Military Council and allied forces carried out shooting, shelling and airstrikes in the Kawthoolei administrative region of the Karen National Union (KNU) in October, according to the KNU’s monthly report.
After the fighting between the joint forces of the Military Council and BGF (Border Guard Forces) and the KNLA (Karen National Liberation Army , and Karen National Defense Organization allied forces, the Military Council then launched air force attacks and artillery shelling on residential areas, causing many civilian casualties detailed in KNU’s November 6 th report.
KNU said that in addition to those killed by artillery shells, there were also civilians killed by the Military Council soldiers who opened fire without reason and 46 injured during October.
Some houses were damaged or destroyed as the Military Council randomly fired artillery into residential areas. In the KNU 1st Brigade's area, the Military Council and BGF burned down 18 residential houses. In addition, another 6 houses were set on fire in Nyaunglebin District, KNU said.
The current period is the harvest season, but the Military Council has prohibited farmers from harvesting in Mone Township, Nyaunglebin District. Locals have complained of facing food shortages as a result of the harvesting ban in those two districts.
In September, at least 6 civilians were killed and 11 injured after the Military Council carried out aerial bombardment and artillery shelling in Kawthoolei administrative region, KNU announced.
More than 50 battalions of the Military Council, as well as 4 local BGF battalions are conducting joint operations in KNU-controlled areas. In October, 286 battles broke out and 6 airstrikes were conducted by the Military Council in the Kawthoolei administrative region, KNU said.
During the period from January to the end of October, there were at least 3845 battles between the Military Council and KNU troops, and 3664 members of the Military Council and BGF were killed and another 2700 injured, according to KNU’s statement.
According to the year 2021 statistics, the KNU announced there were 3152 battles occurred in KNU- controlled areas, and 2190 members of the Military Council and BGF were killed, while 2048 were wounded.
