Over 250 defence force fighters killed in Karenni State since Myanmar junta coup

By Mizzima
04 April 2023
Over 250 defence force fighters killed in Karenni State since Myanmar junta coup
Karenni State - Map: Google

252 defence force fighters have been killed in Karenni State since the 1 February 2021 coup until 31 March 2023. 

The figures which include deaths of Karenni Nationalities Defense Forces (KNDF) and Karenni Army (KA) fighters, come from a report by the Progressive Karenni People’s Force (PKPF). 

It says that from February to December 2021, 41 defence force fighters were killed. In 2022 that number rose to 170 deaths and the number for the first quarter of 2023 was 41 deaths. 

From February 2021 to the end of March 2023 the junta killed 313 civilians and 134 internally displaced people (IDPs) and detained 297 people in Karenni State, according to the report. 

 It also said that in the same period, the junta carried out 310 airstrikes and destroyed more than 1,400 homes and 33 religious buildings. 

According to the report, 1,833 junta personnel were killed in Karenni State in the same period. 448 were killed from February to December 2021, 1,115 were killed in 2022 and 320 have been killed in the first quarter of 2022.  

Mizzima has been unable to confirm the figures for the number of junta deaths. 

According to a report by the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP – Myanmar) issued in early February 2023, there were over 8,100 armed clashes in Myanmar in the two years between 1 February 2021 and February 2023.