The Karen National Union (KNU) Central has reported that two civilians were killed when the military council conducted an airstrike on Htaw Blaw Kho Khee village in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, despite there being no active fighting in the area. The attack occurred around 11:30 AM on March 19, when a Yak-130 fighter jet from the Naypyidaw-based air force deliberately bombed the village. The airstrike resulted in the immediate deaths of two men, aged 36 and 30, and completely destroyed one residential house and a storage facility.
The KNU Central emphasized that the military council has been deliberately targeting non-military objectives, including religious buildings, hospitals, schools, and civilian residential areas. Local residents stated that such aerial attacks on innocent civilians constitute violations of international law and could be classified as war crimes, calling for the international community to take action against the military council’s brutal actions.
Htaw Blaw Kho Khee village is primarily a civilian settlement with no active conflict. However, sources indicate that the military council has been systematically planning attacks against civilian populations, particularly increasing the use of airstrikes, which has led to rising civilian casualties. The KNU has assessed this incident as another example of the military council’s deliberate targeting of civilian populations. The attack demonstrates the military council’s continued pattern of using disproportionate force against civilian targets, even in areas where there is no military confrontation or strategic military objectives.
