The Military Council burned down the home of the Chairman of the KNU in on the evening of February 4 about 13 miles from Thandaung township, Karen State, according to the residents.

3 houses were burnt down, 2 belonging to KNU officials. The other one was a local shop-owner. But the arson attack focused on houses belonging to the KNU, reported locals from Thandaung.

“ A house next to my friend’s house was burnt down. That house was the residence of a KNU leader. Another victim whose house was burned burnt down is also KNU. The other one is the shop. The military considered KNU as an enemy, so they must have set it on fire,” a resident told KIC.

Before the arson occurred, on February 4 at around 5:00 a.m., Junta troops had been hit by landmines between Pyarsakhan in Thandaung town. As a result of this attack, 3 cars were damaged and more than 20 members of the Military Council were killed.

The Military Council also suffered from mine explosions in Kachinkway between Thandaung and Bawgali in the evening of the same day, ‌ another resident said.

“Three cars were destroyed by landmines. There were many injuries. There are people who saw a car carrying patients. Before the houses were set on fire, they heard the sounds of artillery shelling, and the locals thought it was a battle and ran away.

Later, we found out that they were only shooting to clear their way for the arson attack.

he said to KIC.

KIC is still trying to get confirmation from relevant KNU officials regarding the burning of KNU leaders’ houses at 13 Mile village.

On February 2, the Military Council troops called a meeting of the residents of Pyarsakhan village and threatened to shoot the entire village, if anything happened to their soldiers, the residents said.

According to local news sources, there are hardly any residents living in the town due to indiscriminate shelling by the Military Council in the 13 mile area, of the Thandaung new town. The people fleeing the war are worried about their homes due to such arson.