A drone attack was carried out by the Mon Liberation Army (MLA) during the opening ceremony of the Gyaing Bridge in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, which was to be attended by the military council’s Karen State Chief Minister Saw Myint Oo. The attack, which occurred on the morning of March 9, resulted in injuries to three military council soldiers. The attacks were conducted in three waves at approximately 5:38 AM, 5:43 AM, and 8:30 AM, with the MLA’s Spring UAV Force – G3 Fixed-wing drone team deploying two drones to drop three bombs.
Following the attack, the ceremony attendees, including military council’s Karen State Chief Minister Saw Myint Oo, Southeast Command Deputy Commander Colonel Banyar Win, Union Minister for Construction Myo Thant, Karen State Minister for Road Transportation Nyi Nyi Zaw, and Karen State Chief Justice Nyunt Lin, quickly departed the scene after conducting the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The three injured military council soldiers were evacuated by vehicle according to reports.
During the attack, due to interference from communication jamming equipment operated by the military council’s Infantry Battalions 545 and 546 based in Kyondoe town, Kawkareik Township, and strategic hill positions, some drone bombs were deflected, resulting in minor injuries to a civilian vendor near a primary school below the old bridge. A representative from the Mon Liberation Army issued a warning to civilians to avoid staying close to ceremonial events and gatherings organized by the military council.
