Narinjara News, April 1, 2023

The Cobra Column announced that 20Military Council soldiers were killed and 10 were capturedalive during the 7-day clashes that took place from March 25th to 31st in MyawaddyTownship of Karen State on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

The Revolutionary forces, whichcomprised of several groups such as KNU/KNLA (Karen National Union/Karen NationalLiberation Army) Column, Cobra Column, Black Panther Column, Federal Wings, GoldenEagle, and Yaung Ni, collaborated and carried out coordinated attacks onseveral targets including the Trade Zone in Myawaddy Township, the Thingan NyiNaung Police Station, as well as the Military Council’s257th and 355th Battalions.

On March 25th, a clash resulted inthe death of 11 Military Council troops, with 3 others sustaininginjuries. Additionally, 8 individuals were captured, including a officer ranked as captain, adeputy police chief, a sergeant, two corporals, two lance corporals, a private, andthe wife of a lance corporal, according to a statement released by the Cobra Column.

Weapons seized included 1 pistol,7 AK automatic rifles, 1 AK light machine gun, 7 G3 battlerifles, 1 Uzi submachine gun, 196 AK bullets, 385 G3 bullets, 104 9 mm bullets and militaryequipment were seized by the revolutionary forces. On that day’sbattle, twofighters from the Cobra column sustained injuries, while a comrade from the 5th Division ofthe same column was killed in action.

On March 26th, the MilitaryCouncil launched at least 30 artillery rounds on the 50- Houseneighborhood located in the new Shwe Mya Sandi community in Mekanei village. Theattack resulted in the destruction of two houses, a motorcycle, and the killing of afarm pig.

In the March 27th clash, theMilitary Council and its subordinate Border Guard Forces (BGF) firedat least 18 rounds of artillery, damaging the Mekanei Monastery’sarchway.

On March 28th, the Shwe Mya Sandiarea was once again hit by shelling. This time, 48 artilleryrounds struck 13 houses, resulting in one house being completely burnt down. During theattack, one member of the Border Guard Force (BGF) was killed, and another waswounded when the resistance forces responded with drones and snipers. 

On March 29th, the MilitaryCouncil launched at least 20 artillery rounds again and the revolutionforces retaliated by using snipers and drones, killing a Captain and an InformationOperations officer from the Junta Army, and injuring two others. 

During the clashes on March 30th,the revolutionary groups attacked the Thingan Nyi Naung policestation with snipers, resulting in the death of three individuals and the capture ofthree others including a BGF Captain, while they accidentally entered the area wherethe revolution forces were operating.

On March 31st, the MilitaryCouncil unleashed 135 artillery rounds, resulting in damage to at leastnine houses, the death of three cattle, and the injury of two revolutionary fighters. Inresponse to the attack, the resistance groups fired back, resulting in the death of 6BGF members and the injury of 2 others.

Cobra Column also reported thatboth the Military Council and BGF battalions conducted ground operations andairstrikes during the week-long conflict.

Due to these conflicts, a curfewwas imposed in Myawaddy Township and the Asia Highway from Myawaddy to Kawkareik wastemporarily closed.