Kantarawaddy Times
In Karenni State, military junta forces have been using drones to intentionally target and attack civilians. As a result, within October alone, 3 civilians were killed, and 8 were injured. According to records compiled by Kantarawaddy Times up to November 18, one more person has since been injured.
Most of these incidents occurred in Hpruso Township, with one victim from Demoso Township. All those who were injured or killed were civilians harvesting crops on their farms.
These civilians are internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are struggling for survival and are trying to harvest the cultivated crops. During this time, the junta keeps carrying out drone attacks in those areas. There were also some who were fortunate enough to escape.
“When we go to the farms, if there are more than three people gathering, they tend to attack by drones, so the situation develops where people no longer dare to go to the farms,” said a local man from eastern Hpruso, describing the current situation they face.
There were no clashes happening in the areas where the harvesting took place, nor were any revolutionary forces present. Only civilians were there, harvesting crops for their livelihood.
Why is the military junta increasingly conducting drone attacks targeting civilians?
One main reason can be analyzed as the method to cut off supplies to the people in the revolutionary-controlled areas that are not under the junta’s control, and to the revolutionary forces who are supported and supplied by these people. The intention is to weaken the revolutionary forces and the communities backing them.
Another likely objective is to secure success in their planned elections. The junta needs to expand territories under its control to conduct elections without any obstacles. Targeting civilians may also be an attempt to force original residents to return to the four townships in Karenni State, where the junta has announced elections will be held. They have also been spreading propaganda and trying to persuade people to return.
At present, civilians working on farms no longer dare to go into the fields to harvest due to the drone threat. As a result, their crops are left unharvested.
This is a factor that could severely impact the long-term food security of the people in Karenni State, where the number of IDPs is already high.
“This year, we planted quite a lot. But now everything is ruined. The cattle might have also eaten what’s left,” said a farmer from Hpruso Township.
As displacement continues, civilians have used whatever limited resources they have to plant crops near their shelters. When harvest season arrived in August, civilians began going to the fields to collect their crops, but they frequently encountered drone and artillery attacks from the junta troops.
“People don’t go in large groups anymore. Even if you hear the sound, you can’t run fast enough. There’s still so much paddy left. We can’t harvest it anymore. And with the junta’s column around, we don’t dare to go. A whole year’s worth is gone,” another farmer from Hpruso explained.
Since being displaced in May 2021, people have faced increasing hardships. From 2023 onward, as revolutionary groups regained control of some areas, civilians began farming more extensively.
“Around late 2023, donations decreased, so people started farming more. We did what we could, like one or two plots for each,” said an internally displaced man from western Hpruso.
Early this year, farming was able to continue. But as harvest time approached, the junta expanded its ground operations and increased the use of drones and heavy weapons, not only in active conflict areas but also specifically targeting civilians harvesting crops.
“In the nearby village, people were transporting their crops with a farm truck. When it was my turn to transport crops, the drone attacked and even damaged the farm truck. It’s extremely difficult. But we can’t starve, and we must risk our lives to get our food,” said a woman from Demoso Township.
The Drones Used by the Military Junta
“One of their drones crashed, and when we went to carry it back, it took four of us to carry it. It weighed a lot. It might probably use 80 mm and 120 mm mortar bombs,” said a civilian from Hpruso who helped carry a downed junta drone after it attacked farmers.
The junta mainly uses two types of drones against civilians harvesting crops. They are multi-copter drones and fixed-wing drones, often well known as kamikaze (suicide) drones, mostly imported from China. They are equipped with anti-jamming GPS systems.
Multi-copter drones weigh around 16 kg and can carry bombs of up to 6 kg. It can fly a distance of up to 3 to 5 km. Fixed-wing drones can fly 20 to 40 km and carry bombs weighing up to 15 kg.
Depending on the drone size, its payload capacity and flight altitude can vary, said 3D, the head of the Drone Department of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).
“The best protection is not staying in one place, but doing something like running a bit or moving a bit. If you run only when the drone comes too close, they might spot you. If there’s a safe place to hide, just go there. If you’re in open ground with no cover, run before they drop the bomb. If you hear the drone sound, immediately lie flat. Lying flat is the best option. Whether beside a fence, in a ditch, or any depression, lying low offers better safety,” advised 3D, head of the KNDF Drone Department.
