Myanmar military follows KNU ultimatum with airstrike

Brigade 6 of the Karen National Liberation Army—the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU)—sent the junta a warning on Monday to leave the town of Lay Kay Kaw in Karen State’s Myawaddy Township within three days.

On Wednesday evening—the second day—the military attacked the area from the air. 

Saw Liston, the KNU’s secretary of Dooplaya District, which is in the territory of Brigade 6, had sent the letter to the southeastern military command asking them to depart so that people internally displaced by a previous offensive in December could return home. 

Residents of villages in the Lay Kay Kaw and Kawkareik areas were forced to flee by the junta occupation of the region that has included the looting and destruction of property. 

The letter stated that it was the KNU’s responsibility to protect the lives and homes of the ethnic Karen people. 

Any consequences incurred by failing to leave Lay Kay Kaw within the allotted three days would be the fault of the junta, the letter warned.

At 5:30pm on Wednesday, the military “started firing from two helicopters” on Lay Kay Kaw, which is near the Thai border, according to KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee.

“We still don’t know what happened next. I haven’t heard anything about casualties yet,” he told Myanmar Now.

A member of a local anti-junta defence force in Lay Kay Kaw also told Myanmar Now that they did not have further information about the air attack but were “just trying to stay safe.” 

Frequent short battles have been breaking out around Lay Kay Kaw in recent days, according to local sources. The junta’s airstrike reportedly took place after some 10 military personnel were killed in one such clash near Mehthawthalay village at around 3pm that day. 

“There is tension in the area,” a local man said. 

A resident of Myawaddy Township said helicopters and jets were seen flying towards Lay Kay Kaw town four times on Wednesday evening. 

“They dropped bombs the first time. There was only one helicopter,” the resident said at the time of the attack, noting that more aircraft were on their way.