Intense fighting has broken out between military council forces and people’s defense forces along the Asian Highway in Kawkareik-Myawaddy area of Karen State, with the highest casualties reported among new military recruits, according to Karen military sources. On August 9 and 15, combined forces including Strategy 31, Karen National Union (KNU), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), and People’s Defense Force (PDF) engaged in fierce battles with military council troops near Htankoo village as they attempted to advance with large forces along the Asian Highway between Kawkareik and Myawaddy townships.
During these two battles, military council forces suffered over 70 fatalities and nearly 60 injuries. Although the military forces were forced to retreat multiple times during the fighting, they continued to reinforce their troops and launch offensives, resulting in daily clashes. Most of the deceased soldiers were young new recruits who were reportedly sent to the frontlines, leading to their deaths. Military sources indicated that these casualties occurred primarily because new conscripts were being used as frontline troops while carrying new weapons and equipment.
The military council has amassed thousands of troops in Kawkareik town in an attempt to regain control of the Asian Highway section, while the Aung Zeya column remains positioned near Tawnaw waterfall. In Myawaddy town, military forces have also been reinforced as they prepare for a pincer attack on the highway section, suggesting that fighting may intensify further. On August 28, the military council advanced toward the Asian Highway with a convoy of over 50 military vehicles carrying more than 500 troops, including drone strike units, mechanized units, missile artillery units, and new recruits, escalating their ground offensive operations. The combined force structure indicates a significant escalation in their military operations in the region.
