A military column that had burned down San Moe Taung village in Thandaunggyi Township, Karen State, was attacked by resistance forces, resulting in casualties, according to a representative from the Kan Ni Kyar Area Defense Force. The attack occurred around 10:50 AM on April 7th when resistance forces intercepted the military column near Hton Bo Gyi village after they had set fire to San Moe Taung village. The military forces suffered casualties and were forced to retreat to their base at Hton Bo Gyi camp.
While the exact number of military casualties is still being investigated, two ambulances were seen entering Hton Bo Gyi camp about an hour after the battle. In San Moe Taung village, two Christian nunneries and at least two houses were burned down. The village has been abandoned by its residents for over two years. After suffering casualties, the military forces vandalized shops, cars, and motorcycles in Hton Bo Gyi village and physically assaulted passing travelers.
The attack was carried out through coordination between the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 2 Battalion 5’s Kan Ni Kyar Area Defense Force, the Kyiku Column, and Taungoo District Battalion 3504. Additionally, on April 6th at 2 PM, the Kan Ni Kyar Area Defense Force engaged with Pyu Saw Htee militia members who had emerged from Kan Ni village for reconnaissance, resulting in one militia member killed and two injured.
Authorities have requested that civilians only use the Taungoo-Leiktho main road between 6 AM and 6 PM, and to contact nearby organizations before traveling for emergency purposes. In a separate incident in Mandalay Region’s Nyaung-U District, resistance forces attacked military council personnel who had left the Nga Tharauk town police station. The resistance forces had to withdraw when civilians became caught in the crossfire, according to a representative from the Man Ba Khaing People’s Defense Force based in Bagan-Nyaung-U.
