Fierce fighting continues in Mon State’s Kyaikmayaw

By Admin 18 Nov 2023

DMG Newsroom
18 November 2023, Kyaikmaraw

Allied resistance forces led by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) blew up a bridge across the Ataran River at the village of Chaung Hnakwa in Mon State’s Kyaikmayaw Township on Friday morning.

A member of the combined resistance forces said they blew up the bridge to cut off the logistics routes of the Myanmar military.

The bridge is part of a road that links Kyaikmayaw with frontier towns Myawaddy and Paya Thonezu.

Half of the bridge collapsed and fell into the river, according to witnesses.

“We heard gunshots the whole day yesterday and we dare not go out. When the fighting died down, we found that the bridge had already collapsed due to the explosion,” said a female resident of Chaung Hnakwa.

The fighting continued near Chaung Hnakwa on Saturday morning. More than 10,000 local people have been forced from their homes and they need food and shelter, said volunteers helping the displaced people.

“We can’t travel on the Mudon-Chaung Hnakwa-Kyarinseikkyi, Taungkalay-Kale Takuntaing, Kyaikmaraw-Kayonegu-Parthein-Hlwasingon roads now. Some 1,000 people from Chaung Hnakwa, Mayangone and Payagone villages have fled. Some people are trapped in villages. As roads are blockaded, they have to eat what they have,” said a volunteer helping displaced people.

Fighting has continued near Chaung Hnakwa, Mel Taro, Taung Kalay, Kanarlo and Kyantaw villages since combined forces of the KNLA and People’s Defense Forces seized a junta checkpoint at Chaung Hnakwa Bridge on November 11.
 
Two children aged 7 and 8 respectively were killed by junta air and artillery strikes in Pawlawgone Village during the fighting. The fighting has also forced closures of 35 basic education schools in Kyaikmaraw Township, said Mon Human Rights.