By Kantarawaddy Times
Due to ongoing armed conflicts following the military coup, a total of 106 civilians were killed and 450 others were injured in Karenni State and Hpruso Township throughout 2024, according to a statement released by the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG) on February 28.
The statement reported that drone strikes, airstrikes, heavy artillery shelling, executions, indiscriminate shootings, unexploded ordnance, and landmines caused these casualties. Additionally, a young man and a little girl died due to malnutrition.
As the internal displacement crisis in Karenni State continues to prolong, more and more displaced families are suffering from food shortages, according to local sources.
Furthermore, 450 people were injured within a year, said U Banya, a founding member of the Karenni Human Rights Group.
“Most of the injuries were caused by artillery shelling and airstrikes, with airstrikes being the primary cause. There were also landmine-related injuries,” said U Banya.
The majority of deaths were due to airstrikes by the military junta, with Hpruso Township recording the highest number of casualties and injuries, according to U Banya.
Since September 2024, the military junta has frequently conducted airstrikes and artillery shelling in Hpruso Township, a region along the Shan-Karenni border, leading to civilian casualties and the displacement of over a thousand people.
Between February 1, 2021 (the start of the coup) and February 28, 2025, a total of 550 civilians have been killed in Karenni State and Hpruso Township, according to a report released today, March 1, by the Progressive Karenni People’s Force (PKPF).
