Two villagers, one of whom was 17 years old, were killed by junta artillery fire in Karenni State’s Loikaw Township on 11 July.

Near to Nwarlawoe Village in Loikaw township at around 7:00 a.m., local resistance forces attacked a junta military convoy of 15 vehicles that had left Moebye Township.

At first, the junta troops were caught off-guard, then they started to return fire with small arms and then Field Artillery Regiment 356, based in Loikaw Township, fired heavy artillery into the area.

The artillery fire killed a 17-year-old villager from Konethar Village and another villager from Nwarlawoe Village. The artillery fire also injured people and damaged houses in Kayantharyar Village, Loikaw Township.

“The Military Council started firing randomly after suffering. severe setback. At least 10 Military Council soldiers died in the attack by local resistance forces. These villages [that the junta fired at] are on the Moebye to Loikaw road, there is damage to some houses as well”, said a member of Loikaw People’s Defence Force (PDF).