Total Defeat In Kayah State, 39 Military Regime Soldiers Died

Illustration of Myanmar's army and police. (Twitter/@yoonmay111)

JAKARTA - Myanmar's military regime has again suffered a severe blow from armed ethnic groups. This time, dozens of his soldiers were killed and a number of others detained in armed clashes in Kayah State, Sunday, May 23.

Armed clashes in Kayah State took place between the Karenni People's Defense Force (PDF) formed by civilian resistance fighters and the Karenni Army and the Myanmar military on the border of Shan-Kayah State.

"Military regime forces indiscriminately fired artillery shells into civilian homes, wounded two civilians, and destroyed homes," member Karenni PDF reported, quoting The Irrawaddy Monday, May 24.

Local media Kantarawaddy Times said that since the morning of the gun contact, Moe Bye police station was seized and burned at midday. About 15 regime soldiers were killed and four others detained.

While on the side of civilian resistance fighters, a 27-year-old member was shot dead and five PDF members were injured in Moe Bye.

"After seeing their brutality against civilians, we decided to fight back against the weapons we collected," said one resident.

"Young people say, instead of being arrested and killed for protesting, they will rebel against what they find and die as martyrs," he continued.

Prolonged clashes were also reported in Demoso Township, Kayah State on Sunday on the Loikaw-Demoso Highway. At least 24 Myanmar soldiers have been killed in clashes with ethnic gunmen here.

The fighting continued into the night, the Kantarawaddy Times reported. Loikaw residents block Demoso road to block junta access. Armored vehicles were reportedly heading into the city on Sunday night.

Kayah State is the latest state to take up arms against the military regime, in response to violence since the February 1 coup.

Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in that one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news covering the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.