Seven Civilians Injured and Monastery Damaged in Junta Artillery Strikes in Kyon Doe Township, Kawkareik District

September 25, 2025

HURFOM: On September 23, junta troops from Light Infantry Battalion No. 545 launched artillery strikes targeting Koh Dae Sai and Koh Wah Boe villages in Kyon Paing village tract, Kyon Doe Township, Kawkareik District, Karen State. According to local residents, the shelling left seven villagers injured and badly damaged the Buddhist monastery in Koh Dae Sai.

“Yesterday afternoon, the army fired artillery shells directly into the monastery in Koh Dae Sai. Two people were injured, and the monastery itself was badly destroyed,” explained one male resident from the village.

Sources confirmed that two people were injured in Koh Dae Sai village and five others in Koh Wah Boe village.

Fighting in the area has intensified since the first week of September when junta columns advanced towards Kyon Paing and Inn-Gyi villages. The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), along with allied resistance forces, has continued to engage them up until September 21. During these clashes, junta artillery units based in Kyon Doe have repeatedly fired indiscriminately, hitting civilian areas and religious sites.

Field reports indicate that junta troops, including officers, have suffered casualties in these battles. Resistance forces also reported losses. Meanwhile, the impact on civilians has been devastating. An estimated 4,000 villagers from at least four communities have fled their homes since last week, adding to the already more than 2,000 who had previously been displaced. Families continue to flee in fear, with no meaningful protection in place.

“They are firing without targets, just into villages. Homes and monasteries are being hit,” said one relief worker from Kawkareik Township, who is assisting displaced families. “The rains are still ongoing, food is scarce, and people are living in fear. This pre-election period has only brought more pressure and suffering on our communities.”

Local residents confirmed that, while the Junta claims to have resecured parts of the Kyon Doe–Kawkareik–Myawaddy Asia Highway, it has not been able to exercise full control. Many sections of the road remain contested, and transportation remains disrupted.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News