In Karen State’s Kyainseikgyi Township, military airstrikes on civilian villages during the resistance forces’ siege of Anan Kwin strategic army camp resulted in one civilian death and injuries to ten others, including two monks. The attacks also destroyed monasteries and homes. On February 26, when resistance forces fired upon an Mi-17 helicopter attempting to transport Strategic Commander Wanna Hlaing and his team, the aircraft was forced to retreat without landing.
In retaliation, the military launched airstrikes using two fighter jets and one Y-12 aircraft against non-military targets in Anan Kwin village, Pan Aung village, and Khanet War village. The attacks severely wounded two monks and five villagers in Pan Aung village, while also destroying monastery buildings. In Maw Htee village, also known as Khanet War, the military’s aerial bombardment killed one civilian and injured three others, while destroying numerous homes. The resistance forces continue to maintain their siege of the Anan Kwin strategic base, where Strategic Commander Wanna Hlaing leads over two hundred trapped military personnel.
The revolutionary forces have reported that the military is inhumanely conducting airstrikes against civilian villages that are not military targets. The international community has expressed serious concern over these deliberate attacks on civilians and condemned the loss of innocent lives. The military’s actions demonstrate a pattern of targeting non-military infrastructure and civilian populations, causing widespread destruction and displacement in conflict-affected areas.
