By Kantarawaddy Times
Karenni resistance groups fought with the regime four times as much last year than in 2021, when the military staged a coup d’etat.
According to the Progressive Karenni People Force (PKPF), a civil rights group that collects data about the war in Karenni State, there were 412 clashes between the armed groups last year.
Khu Daniel, deputy in charge of the Karenni National Progressive Party’s (KNPP) defence department, said that although the fighting has increased, it was minor compared to 2021, when violence displaced many more civilians.
However, the PKPF reported that 170 Karen resistance fighters were killed last year and only 41 in 2021. Last year, 1,244 regime soldiers were killed in fighting, compared to 448 the year before.
The PKPF reported 182 airstrikes in 2022 and only 2 in the previous year. 828 houses were destroyed last year and 482 in 2021. Ambushes by resistance groups and direct battles with the military destroyed 39 regime trucks in 2022, compared to 19 in 2021.
Following the emergence of civilian resistance groups such as the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force, the Karenni Revolutionary Union, various People’s Defence Forces and other groups, many of which were trained and supported by the KNPP’s military wing, the Karenni Army, fighting with the regime’s military increased after the coup.
Khu Daniel expects fighting to continue escalating during the dry season as the regime replaces its troops with new soldiers.
