106 Soldiers Killed In Kayah State, Myanmar Military Regime Conducts Air Strike

JAKARTA - A spokesman for the Karenni People's Defense Force (KPDF) announced to local media that the Myanmar military regime deployed helicopter gunships and artillery to attack ethnic armed forces after more than 100 of its soldiers were killed.

Cited from Asia Nikkei Tuesday, June 1, the attack was carried out against a KPDF position located in Demoso, north of Karenni State. The fighting in this area itself has been going on since May 21.

The KPDF was formed by young Karenni fighters, the majority of whom were only armed with traditional weapons such as hand-made rifles, to defend their territory from attacks by the military junta.

A KPDF member told Myanmar Now that the Myanmar military fired on them from helicopters and also dropped bombs around them starting at around 5 p.m.

"Did you hear the sound of helicopters? They were shooting at us from helicopters, bombing, and opening fire. We have to crouch now", explained the KPDF member.

"The military regime has dropped at least five bombs from above on our territory. Clashes broke out when KPDF members ambushed regime soldiers in Dawh Ngan Kha ward in Demoso, Kayah State around noon", he continued.

He continued, after the attack, the Myanmar military regime launched about 20 heavy artillery shells, 120mm caliber type, from the base of the 356th Artillery Battalion in the neighboring town of Loikaw.

"We attacked with light weapons but they responded with artillery shells. Now they are still shooting and we have not been able to get out", said the member.

Armed clashes continued until 6.30 p.m. local time, with the Myanmar military regime deploying long-range weapons such as howitzers, although the weapons used were not clearly identified.

The KPDF itself claims that 106 regime soldiers have been killed in clashes in Demoso and Loikaw, as well as in Moebye in southern Shan State, where fighting erupted on May 21. Meanwhile, around 26 civilians, including several members of the KPDF died from the fighting.

To note, regime authorities have blocked the entrance to Kayah State from Shan State to the north, and transportation routes to Loikaw have also been cut off. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of residents of Kayah State have been forced to flee their homes to seek refuge.

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