Junta Airstrikes Hit Another Village in Karen State on April 17, Killing One and Wounding Four Civilians, Including Two Children

April 17, 2025

At around 8:00 AM on 17 April 2025, the junta launched yet another devastating airstrike—this time targeting Thayettaw village in Kawkareik Township, Karen State. According to a field source from HURFOM’s human rights monitoring network, two bombs were dropped by a jet fighter directly onto the village. One male villager was killed instantly, and at least four others were seriously injured, including two men and two children.

“This happened without warning. The jet appeared suddenly, and within moments the bombs dropped—no time to flee, no time to hide. The victim is a 53-year-old local man named U Shae. He lives in Thayettaw village and makes a living by driving a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi,” said a 35-year-old local volunteer assisting displaced villagers. “People scattered in panic, trying to take shelter in bomb shelters, irrigation ditches, or under homes. Many elderly people, women, and children were crying and screaming. It’s terrifying. We don’t know when the next strike might come—or why we are being targeted at all.”

Thayettaw is a densely populated village with approximately 720 households and a total population of over 3,800. The vast majority of residents were still in their homes, as the attack took place during the New Year Day of the Thingyan festival—a time usually marked by peace and community gatherings.

HURFOM’s documentation team confirmed that the two injured children, both around 10 years old, were rushed to Mawlamyine for emergency treatment by local rescue teams. The condition of the two injured adult males remains unknown. “Everyone is in shock. We’re doing our best to help, but the fear is overwhelming,” said a HURFOM field team member. “We’ll keep updating the situation as we can.”

This latest assault follows the horrifying pattern of recent attacks carried out by the junta in Karen State. On April 15, a junta jet bombed Kanni village’s monastery in Kawkareik Township, killing six civilians—including four children aged between 3 and 15—while they were participating in merit-making activities during the traditional New Year festival. The next day, on April 16, Myaukkanmayaik village was bombed by a Y-12 military aircraft. A pregnant woman—just days away from giving birth—was killed, and six others, including two children, were seriously injured.

“This morning’s strike on Thayettaw village is clearly part of the junta’s escalating pattern of violence against innocent civilians during what is supposed to be a peaceful holiday,” added a 40-year-old local humanitarian worker. “There are no armed groups operating in or near this village. This is not a battlefield—it is a deliberate attack on ordinary people. They are targeting families, homes, and children.”

As of now, more than 400 households from Thayettaw have fled into nearby fields, orchards, and forests, fearing additional airstrikes. Many left behind their homes, livelihoods, and belongings in search of safety.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News