By Kantarawaddy Times
According to a statement released by the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) on March 4, five civilians, including four children under the age of 18, were killed in Karenni State in February due to targeted attacks by the military junta.
Most of the casualties resulted from artillery shelling, while some were caused by airstrikes, said Tar Aye Soe, a KNDF spokesperson.
“A 10-year-old child was killed when an artillery shell struck a village east of Pekon Additionally, two 17-year-old youths were killed in a village in Loikaw Township when artillery shells landed,” said Tar Aye Soe.
Among the five casualties were two 10-year-old children, two 17-year-old males, and an elderly woman.
Furthermore, KNDF reported that at least 50 civilian homes, four schools, and four religious buildings were destroyed due to the military junta’s attacks.
In January and February 2025, at least 11 civilians were killed and over 20 others injured in Karenni State due to continuous artillery shelling, airstrikes, and drone attacks by the junta, according to Kantarawaddy Times’ data.
In recent days, the military junta has intensified its attacks in Loikaw, Demoso, Pekon, and Moebye. They have targeted civilian areas in remote locations through airstrikes, artillery shelling, and drone bombings, causing civilian casualties and the destruction of homes, according to local sources.
“We hear the sound of aircraft all the time. It’s unsettling to live like this. When the artillery shells hit, we’re lucky no one was hurt this time, but we are constantly in fear,” said a resident from eastern Dee Maw Hso.
Across Myanmar, since the military coup in 2021 until March 3, 2025, a total of 6,378 civilians have been killed due to junta attacks. Additionally, 22 civilians were killed by airstrikes in the last week of February alone, according to a March 4 report from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
