Twelve Myanmar junta personnel including a police major were reportedly killed on Monday in Karen State’s Kawkareik, when a combined force of resistance groups raided two police stations in the town.
Fighters from local People’s Defense Forces (PDF) and the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), raided the district and township police stations and attacked regime forces guarding a bank in Kawkareik Town.
During the raids, six weapons and ammunition were seized, along with staff from the junta-controlled township court, said the KNU on Monday.
A video shot by the White Dragon Battalion (South Division) resistance group who took part in the raids shows PDF fighters taking a weapon and ammunition from a regime solider who was killed during the clashes.
According to a leaked police report, six police officers including police major Min Than, the head of the Kawkareik Township police station, and a soldier were killed in the raids. Another police officer and three pro-junta militia were injured.
However, resistance forces claimed that 12 junta personnel were killed. The Irrawaddy was unable to confirm casualties independently.
After the raids, regime forces shelled nearby villages, firing over 50 artillery rounds. A civilian was injured by the artillery strike, said the KNU.
In another video showing the captured weapons and ammunition, a PDF leader said: “We didn’t want to kill the police major. But we killed him as he collaborated with the regime. We can’t take responsibility for those who won’t join us.”
Following the junta artillery strikes, the People’s Administration Group of Kawkareik Township warned all government staff working for the military regime to leave Karen State as soon as possible.
Currently, junta forces are facing near-daily attacks from PDF’s and ethnic armed organizations nationwide.
