The Burma military conducted operations to support besieged ground troops in northern Karen State and were met with resistance from pro-democracy forces.

On Jan.14 and 15, the Burma Army used 20 food trucks to resupply their Infantry Battalion (IB) 60 troops at Tha Bo Camp, Kler Lwi Htoo District. On Jan. 14, a convoy of eight Burma Army trucks returning to Kyauk Kyi was ambushed by an unidentified force. One truck was destroyed, the remaining seven trucks escaped. Each truck was carrying approximately 20 soldiers. On Jan. 18 at Mu Thae, Kler Lwi Htoo District, a Burma military plane dropped food to Burma Army troops five times. 

Fighting between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Burma Army continued in Ka Ter Hti, Mu Traw District. The Burma military supported their engaged troops with eight air operations. On Jan. 16, a Burma military Y-12 dropped supplies and ammunition to ground troops. On Jan. 19, Burma military jets and Y-12 aircraft conducted seven airstrikes, utilizing bombs, gunfire, and mortars. FBR medics helped by treating wounded resistance soldiers. 

Burma Army clashes with resistance groups in Bilin Township from Jan. 15 to 20 caused damage to civilian infrastructure and resistance force casualties. 

Rangers treated and evacuated a soldier who was injured in the battle for Mae Pali camp on Jan. 15. On Jan. 16, the Burma Army struck a Karen Education and Culture Department (KECD) middle school with two suicide drones in Tagaylaung Village. The drones damaged the building but did not inflict casualties. On Jan. 17, the Burma military clashed with KNLA, Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), and People’s Defence Force (PDF) resistance soldiers, resulting in seven total casualties near Mae Pali camp. Later that evening, the Burma military launched airstrikes with Y-12 aircraft, injuring two resistance soldiers. The Burma Army launched artillery from Mae Pali camp into Ah Su Chaung village on Jan. 17, damaging a religious building, a house, and the village water system. The shelling forced villagers to flee the area. On the same day, the Burma military launched an airstrike and damaged a home in Ka Hser Poe village. The Burma Army shot and injured a resistance soldier from the BPLA on Jan. 18. Rangers helped treat and evacuate the injured soldier. The Burma military again launched Y-12 airstrikes against the soldiers on Jan. 20, causing resistance casualties.

On Jan. 12, Rangers visited an IDP camp in Kaw T’ree Township where they conducted a Good Life Club for 150 people. They provided 20,000 Baht to the IDP camp leader and prayed with him. The IDPs arrived at K’Ney Lay IDP Camp after fleeing fighting between the KNLA and the Burma Army three years ago. The IDPs cannot return to K’Nae Lay Village because there are still 30 Burma Army soldiers at an adjacent camp who have been surrounded by KNLA forces since approximately Jan. 5. 

Rangers conducted a Good Life Club program with a local high school in Kaw T’ree Township on Jan. 17. Rangers played games, sang songs, and shared the Gospel with approximately 140 students and 10 teachers. The school recently replaced its bamboo structures with durable buildings thanks to local donors and FBR’s financial support.

A Burma Army jet dropped five 500lb bombs on Daw So Khu (Dway Mel Naw) IDP camp in Demosso Township on Jan. 15, killing three IDPs and injuring four others. Karenni Rangers transported the casualties to the hospital. The airstrike occurred on Kayah (Karenni) National Day. The Burma Army also fired 120mm mortars and other artillery into Loikaw Township, Mobye Township, East Demosso, West Demosso and Phekhon Township the previous day with no casualties reported.