Two civilians were killed when a resistance forces drone accidentally dropped a bomb on a farm in Daung Village, in Mon State’s Bilin Township, on 27 May.

According to local news sources the bomb landed on U Saw Ba Khat Farm whilst the Karen National Union (KNU), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) were using drones to bomb junta soldiers stationed in Duang Village.

A friend of the deceased told Mizzima that 16-year-old Saw Moe Htet and his friend Saw Maw Khar were playing under a mango tree on the farm when the bomb killed them.

He said: “They were sitting and playing under the mango tree in the farm. The resistance forces were dropping bombs from drones onto the Military Council soldiers stationed in Duang Village. One bomb accidentally dropped on the farm. The house has also been completely destroyed.”

KNU officials from Thaton District expressed their sorrow and regret for the deaths of the two youths and pledged that they would assist ground teams as much as possible to prevent similar incidents in the future, according to a 28 May report in the Salween Times.

A Daung villager explained: “The village is next to the Mawlamyine highway. Soldiers are stationed in the village. The farm is quite close to the village.”

Mizzima contacted Aye Min Tun, the Thaton District PDF officer, for an explanation of what happened, but he has yet to reply.

KNU and KNLA joint forces often use drones and grenade launchers to attack junta facilities, gates and convoys in Bilin Township.