At least 281 regime troops were killed and 80 wounded in clashes last month with combined resistance forces in Kayah State, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).
KNDF reported that more than 100 clashes took place in eastern Demoso Township as well as in Pinlaung and Pekon townships on the border between Kayah and southern Shan states in March.
“Regime troops suffered heavy losses in eastern Demoso and some of their troops deserted their units. We have arrested at least three regime soldiers who abandoned their detachments,” a KNDF spokesperson said.
KNDF said another 13 regime troops were also captured in the raids carried out by combined forces of the Karenni Army Organization (KAO), the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and the local People Defense Forces (PDFs).
Twelve KNDF resistance fighters died in the attacks.
The junta retaliated for the heavy losses in Kayah State by conducting some 66 airstrikes, killing five civilians and injuring 10.
Another 29 people were injured in the regime’s indiscriminate artillery attacks.
Two monasteries, three schools and 228 houses were reportedly destroyed by the artillery strikes and aerial attacks.
Regime troops are pushing deeper into Kayah State and have deployed 12 military detachments in Demoso and Shataw townships, and Pekon and Pinlaung townships in neighboring southern Shan State.
Three military detachments of around 330 regime troops advancing on Daw Ta Ma Gyi village tract clashed with the local resistance forces between March 20 and 23. Ninety regime soldiers were reportedly killed and another 50 wounded in the clashes.
Fierce fighting near Daw Hlar Khu village from March 29 to 30 also killed at least 15 regime troops and wounded many others according to local resistance forces.
KNDF and PDF groups also reported that 31 junta soldiers were killed during three clashes with resistance forces in Pekon Township on March 11 and 12.
Meanwhile regime troops have suffered major losses in KNU Brigade 5 territory throughout March. The Karen National Union (KNU) announced that at least 190 clashes broke out between junta troops and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) during the month, killing at least 92 regime troops and injuring 45. The casualties included members of the Border Guard Force (BGF), a Karen armed group allied with the Myanmar junta. Four KNU fighters were killed and 14 injured in the attacks.
The KNU also raided a strategic regime outpost located near the bank of Than Lwin River on March 28, killing 16 regime troops, injuring a further seven, and seizing several firearms and ammunition. A junta fighter jet dropped 16 bombs during the attack.
Indiscriminate artillery attacks in KNU Brigade 5 territory during the same period killed at least one civilian and injured five.
