Karen Cobra Column claims 20 Military Council troops killed in week-long Myawaddy Township clashes Karen State

Narinjara News, April 1, 2023

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

The Revolutionary forces, which comprised of several groups such as KNU/KNLA (Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army) Column, Cobra Column, Black Panther Column, Federal Wings, Golden Eagle, and Yaung Ni, collaborated and carried out coordinated attacks on several targets including the Trade Zone in Myawaddy Township, the Thingan Nyi Naung Police Station, as well as the Military Council’s 257th and 355th Battalions.

On March 25th, a clash resulted in the death of 11 Military Council troops, with 3 others sustaining injuries. Additionally, 8 individuals were captured, including a officer ranked as captain, a deputy police chief, a sergeant, two corporals, two lance corporals, a private, and the 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 battle rifles, 1 Uzi submachine gun, 196 AK bullets, 385 G3 bullets, 104 9 mm bullets and military equipment were seized by the revolutionary forces. On that day’s battle, two fighters from the Cobra column sustained injuries, while a comrade from the 5th Division of the same column was killed in action.

On March 26th, the Military Council launched at least 30 artillery rounds on the 50- House neighborhood located in the new Shwe Mya Sandi community in Mekanei village. The attack resulted in the destruction of two houses, a motorcycle, and the killing of a farm pig.

In the March 27th clash, the Military Council and its subordinate Border Guard Forces (BGF) fired at least 18 rounds of artillery, damaging the Mekanei Monastery’s archway.

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

On March 29th, the Military Council launched at least 20 artillery rounds again and the revolution forces retaliated by using snipers and drones, killing a Captain and an Information Operations officer from the Junta Army, and injuring two others. 

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

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

Cobra Column also reported that both the Military Council and BGF battalions conducted ground operations and airstrikes during the week-long conflict.

Due to these conflicts, a curfew was imposed in Myawaddy Township and the Asia Highway from Myawaddy to Kawkareik was temporarily closed.