Myanmar junta launches airstrikes near KNU headquarters

Myanmar’s military carried out airstrikes near the headquarters of the Karen National Union (KNU) on Sunday night, injuring at least one member of the group and sending civilians fleeing across the border into Thailand, according to local sources. The attacks took place from around 8pm and targeted an area near a KNU military parade ground between the villages of Thay Bae Hta and Maw Pae Hko in Karen State’s Hlaingbwe Township, a local man told Myanmar Now on Monday. “When we heard the bombing sound, we ran helter-skelter,” the man said, adding that the junta aircraft may have violated Thai air space to carry out the assault. “They can’t circle that area without going at least a little bit into Thai territory. But I don’t know what flight path the aircraft took last night,” he said. A house was also destroyed in the attack, he added. “It wasn’t from a bomb. Some fuel caught fire in all the confusion, and the house of the man who was selling it was partly burned down,” he said. Civilians who crossed the Moei River into Thailand reported hearing a massive explosion. It was unclear at the time of reporting if there were any other casualties from the attack. The area targeted by the airstrikes included not only the headquarters of the KNU, but also the headquarters of its two armed wings, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Karen National Defence Organisation. The area falls within the territory of KNLA Brigade 7, which had not previously been a target of airstrikes. Unlike other KNLA brigades, Brigade 7 did not begin fighting the regime until late last year, and until now, its territory had experienced only drone attacks. The KNU was reportedly aware of the risk of airstrikes ahead of the attack, as Tuesday marks the 75th anniversary of Karen Martyrs’ Day, a major event on the group’s political calendar. “Tomorrow is Martyrs’ Day. Normally there’s a military parade, but these days it’s scaled back—just some speeches and such in inconspicuous places,” said a source close to the KNU. According to the source, the KNU had issued airstrike warnings because it anticipated an escalation of the regime’s efforts to pressure the group due to planned elections later this year. “Since they’re going to hold elections, it’s like they have to do something to apply more pressure. It’s just what they do,” he said. KNLA Brigade 7 began fighting the regime in December of last year, when it joined Brigade 5 troops in retaking the former KNU headquarters of Manerplaw in Hlaingbwe Township, which had fallen to Myanmar’s military nearly 30 years ago. A senior KNU official told Myanmar Now in March of this year that Brigade 7 began attacking the regime’s forces because of a policy of not allowing army camps within its administrative territory. As of May, the KNU has seized eight junta army camps in Brigade 7 territory, the group said in a statement.

Myanmar junta launches airstrikes near KNU headquarters

The attacks came just days before Karen Martyrs’ Day, and mark an escalation of pressure on the group ahead of the regime’s planned elections

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