The Karen National Union (KNU) Central Committee has reported that the military council conducted drone attacks on civilian villages in Kyaikto Township, Mon State. The attacks began on March 1 at approximately 12:30 PM, when the military’s drone unit based at Kwali Yeikan Hill launched six bombs targeting the Pyinkataunkon Cemetery and a stone mining area covering over 100 acres in Pyinkataunkon Village Tract, Kyaikto Township. In addition to the drone strikes, Artillery Battalion 310 of the military council fired 10 heavy artillery shells, while Infantry Battalion 207, under Infantry Division 44 Headquarters, fired 8 artillery shells, resulting in multiple explosions throughout Kyaikto Township.
These attacks caused significant damage to one house in Pyinkataunkon Village, cemetery tombs, and cultivated crops. Additionally, farmlands and crops belonging to local residents in the western parts of Sitkin Village, Mukharmot Village, and Thonekwa Village in Khare Village Tract of Kyaikto Township suffered extensive damage. From March 4 to March 6, the military council continued its offensive with airstrikes and heavy artillery bombardments, causing terror among local civilians and severely disrupting their daily activities and agricultural work. The continuous attacks have resulted in widespread destruction of civilian property and agricultural lands, significantly impacting the livelihoods of local residents who have been living in fear due to the military’s aggressive actions.
