Myanmar’s military regime conducted around 110 mainly air and artillery attacks on civilian targets in Karen National Union (KNU) territory during its 20-day quake “truce” from April 2 to 22, the ethnic revolutionary group reported.
The KNU administers a region known as Kaw Thoo Lei in southeastern Myanmar, encompassing parts of Karen and Mon states, and Tanintharyi and eastern Bago regions.
The regime carried out 63 air and drone strikes on KNU civilian areas during the truce, killing 15 people including a novice monk and wounding 37, including monks, the group said.
The aerial bombardments destroyed five Buddhist monasteries and seven civilian houses, it added.
Meanwhile, the junta conducted 43 artillery attacks, killing five people and wounding 18 while damaging 16 homes.
Regime troops also burned four houses and a church during a raid on a village, the KNU said.
The truce period in KNU territory also saw two civilians wounded in junta landmine explosions and two arrested.
In a statement issued Saturday, the KNU said the regime declared the truce to attract international relief aid following the March 28 earthquake but then continued to bombard civilians in villages and towns controlled by anti-regime revolutionary groups.
This was like “displaying a goat’s head but selling dog meat,” it stated.
The KNU said it was taking measures to protect the lives, homes, and property of civilians under its care hit by the simultaneous hardships of war and the earthquake disaster.
The regime also conducted 409 attacks on civilian targets in Arakan Army (AA)-controlled areas of Rakhine State, western Myanmar, during its quake truce, according to the AA’s political arm.
The junta declared the truce a few days after several ethnic armed organizations, along with the National Unity Government’s People’s Defense Force, announced unilateral quake ceasefires to facilitate rescue operations and mourning.
The regime announced a one-week truce extension on April 23 but has continued its airstrikes against mostly civilian targets in resistance-held areas.
On Sunday, regime fighter jets bombed PDF-controlled Sintgu town in Mandalay Region, destroying several buildings.
Over 100 regime airstrikes have been reported across the 10 regions and states beyond Rakhine State and KNU territory during the truce period. These attacks mainly targeted civilian areas, killing several dozen people and wounding over 100.
