Burma Army Attacks Karen and Burman Civilians in Karen State

1 April 2024

Karen State, Burma

Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) continue working to clear the Burma Army from their areas as they protect civilians from the brutality of the dictators. The illegal and oppressive military dictatorship has become increasingly desperate as it continues to lose ground, with EAOs making gains in many areas throughout the country. This desperation has completely erased what little regard the regime may have had for civilian causalities. In Nyaunglebin District of Karen State alone, our teams counted 89 civilians either killed or injured in deliberate attacks by Burma military forces from January to March, along with extensive property destruction.

Notably, even civilians of Burman ethnicity have been targeted, despite being the majority ethnic group in the country. Mortars and artillery are the primary weapons of choice against civilians in this region of Burma, and now Burman civilians are also experiencing their devastating effects. On March 28, 2024, the Burma Army launched five 120mm mortars into a rubber field in Tha Yet Chaung Village, injuring six Burman workers: Chit Aye (41), Char Myeit Aung (32), Soe Ya Min (19), Tin Tet Aung (27), and Ma San Maung (46), and Ma Cho Twein (25).

Though the Burma Army does lose ground, they make sure to inflict damage as they struggle to keep it. Burma Army forces entered Yin Le Village on March 19, 2024, and held it against EAO forces for a few weeks. When they finally left, they burned the village to the ground, destroying over 70 houses and planting landmines to prevent people from returning to their homes. These landmines inflicted injuries on three of those who tried.

FBR teams on the ground estimate that there are over 18,000 people from 24 villages in this area displaced from their homes due to the fighting within the last three months. Our teams help them by providing critical food and medical care, and also by sharing help, hope, and love through our Good Life Club programs.

*This man mourns his wife who was killed by Burma Army howitzers.*

*IDPs from Inn Jet Village enjoy a Good Life Club program.*

*Ranger teams provide food and medical care for IDPs from 4 different villages.*

*This man received severe burns on his legs from shelling by the Burma Army.*

*An FBR medic treats a monk who was displaced by the fighting.*

*Ranger teams from Karen State perform a Good Life Club for IDPs.*

*Civilian killed by a Burma Army howitzer in Yin Pyu Ka Village.*

*This woman was killed by bombing from Burma military jets.*

*Thi*s *man was tortured to death by the Burma Army.*

*This girl was injured by a Burma Army howitzer.*

Event Summary

Jan 5: Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 20 shelled from Nyang Lin Bin town into Yin Pyu Ka, killing 4 people and injuring 19.

Jan 13: According to KNDO sources, Burma Army forces burned down Natha Gwin.

Jan 22: Burma Army Infantry Battalion (IB) 264 launched three 120 mm shells into Kyaw Gone, injuring 5 people: Ka La Min (53), U Sein Htay (52), Ma May Tha Neing (44), Nay Zaw Linn (15), and U Kyaw Win (68). It also destroyed 1 house.

Jan 23: Burma Army shelled five 120mm rounds in Ka Nyi Jo village, destroying 2 houses, killing one person, Myit Leing (65), and injuring 2, Kyi Nu (66) and Eh Htoo Say (12).

Jan 25: FBR teams provided relief to IDPs from Gwein Gon (389), Cho Inn (411), Kau Met Thu (457), and Aw Pa Wah (266).

Jan 27: Burma Army shelled howitzer rounds into Tun Wa Z, wounding 2 people.

Jan 27: Burma Army troops based in Na Bauk captured a villager, U Myit Ngwe, on his way to work. They tied him up and tortured him, holding him before he managed to escape 2 days later.

Jan 29: FBR teams provided medical care and did GLC programs in Ta Min Yo village.

Jan 29: FBR teams moved from Ta Min Yo village to Y Jo A-Nok village to encourage IDPs there and dug holes to protect them from shelling.

Feb 1: FBR teams provided medical relief and did GLC programs for IDPs from Y-Jo, Nyaung Bin Gyi, Yea Their, and Thet Too Gon villages, totaling about 300 people.

Feb 3: FBR teams provided medical care and did GLC programs for IDPs from Sa Suu, Sa Pe, and Thet Ke Gon, totaling about 2574 people.

Feb 5: FBR teams performed a GLC program for children at Pyi Yin Gyi village. During the program, Burma Army IB 264 shelled howitzer rounds over the village forcing them to pause the program.

Feb 6: FBR teams provide supplies to IDPs from Pa Zo Myaw.

Feb 8: Burma Army forces based in Pe Nwe Gon shelled Thae Pyu Ywa, injuring one villager.

Feb 12: Burma Army IB 264 shelled near IDPs located in Kaw Tha Say, injuring one villager.

Feb 14: Burma Army IB 20 and IB 264 shelled 120mm artillery into Y-Jo and surrounding villages, destroying homes.

Feb 16: Burma Army IB 20 shelled 4, 120mm rounds into Cho Inn, seriously injuring Ma Sa U (46).

Feb 18: Burma Army LIB 438 Shelled 6 howitzer rounds into Yin Dwein Gon Lay, then burned down 4 acres of crops.

Feb 19: Burma Army LIB 439 shelled 120mm rounds into Let Tan Gyi, injuring 2 villagers, U Thein Lwein (60) and his wife Daw Thein Shwe (46), and killing U Sein Hla.

Feb 21: Burma Army jets drop 8 bombs on on 3rd Brigade HQ, damaging 4 homes, and completely destroying 1 home and a church.

Feb 25: 5 Burma Army jets and one Burma Army helicopter bomb and shoot at KNU police and PDF camps between Klaw Maw and Law Mu Thaw. They attacked 16 times between 1030 and 1500, injuring 11 people and killing one prisoner.

Feb 25: Burma Army IB 264 shelled 120mm mortars into Kau Met Thu village, killing one girl (12). Later that night, they shelled Aw Pa Wah village and injured one man and one woman who were later treated by FBR medics.

Feb 28: Burma Army troops clash with KNLA troops between Natha Gwein and Naung Gon. Later, Burma Military jets bombed the same area, injuring 2 IDPs, Saw Sa Thein (42) and Naw Thein Kya (18).

Feb 29: Maung Tot Ken (66) is injured by a Burma Army mortar in the Noh Gu area.

Feb 29: Burma Army bombs injured one child (1) and killed his father in Mone Township.

Feb 29: Burma Army forces capture a villager from Ta Ma Kaw and torture him to death.

Mar 4: Burma Army shells landed at Noh Taw Ta village, killing Saw By Pweh (56) and injuring Saw Shwe (36).

Mar 6: Burma Army launched three 120mm rounds into Nge Pe Inn village, injuring Saw Eh Paw (32).

Mar 6: Burma Army LIB 439 used howitzers to attack the Kon Chaung Wa area, killing Ma Zon Ma (41) and Maung Min Ka Helen (13), and injuring U Pyu Min Tun (49) and Ma Sin Ma Pyu (9).

Mar 7: Burma Army LIB 439 used howitzers to attack the Kon Chaung Wa area, injuring Naw Ne Thaw Say (30).

Mar 10: Burma Army forces entered Thay Gay Lu village, camping there and then burning it to the ground the following day.

Mar 11: Maung Nay Linn (20) stepped on a Burma Army landmine while working in his rubber field.

Mar 14: Burma military jets dropped 6 bombs on a gold mine in Ler Doh township, killing one and injuring another.

Mar 17: Burma Army IB 264 shelled 2 howitzer rounds into Klaw Maw village injuring 3 people. Later that day around noon, 2 more rounds of howitzers killed one and injured another.

Mar 18: Hay Wei Ya Soe (17) was injured by a Burma Army howitzer in Yin Le village.

Mar 19: Burma Army troops entered Yin Le village and clashed with KNLA soldiers.

Mar 23: FBR teams provide food for 90 IDPs in Hsaw Hti Township.

Mar 24: Saw Ta Hsi (38) loses his foot to a Burma Army landmine.

Mar 24: Burma Army howitzers landed in Ta Ray Se Law, burning down one home.

Mar 28: Burma Army launched five 120mm mortars into Tha Yet Chaung rubber fields, injuring 6 Burman rubber workers: Chit Aye (41), Char Myeit Aung (32), Soe Ya Min (19), Tin Tet Aung (27), and Ma San Maung (46), and Ma Cho Twein (25).