At least seven civilians, including children, were killed and over 25 others were injured after Myanmar’s military junta launched an airstrike on Kan Nee Village (Mon Village), near Kyondo Town, Kawkareik Township, Karen State, during the peak of the Water Festival on Tuesday, April 15, according to local sources.
The attack, carried out by junta fighter jets and heavy artillery, struck near a Buddhist monastery in the center of the village, injuring multiple civilians.
Witnesses reported that no clashes were occurring in the area at the time of the bombing. The strike specifically hit close to a religious structure, raising concerns about deliberate targeting of civilians.
A displaced villager who fled the attack stated, “There was no fighting here. The jets dropped bombs near homes and the monastery, not on revolutionary bases. Only innocent villagers were harmed.”
Local ground reports indicate that the death toll may rise, as the exact number of injured remains unconfirmed. Following the attack, joint forces from the Karen National Union (KNU), People’s Defense Forces (PDF), and Mon revolutionary groups reportedly mobilized toward the village.
The military junta, officially known as the State Administration Council (SAC), declared a nationwide halt to military operations. The State Administration Council (SAC) has announced a temporary ceasefire across the country from April 2nd to 22nd. This decision comes amid increasing international pressure and ongoing internal conflicts.
The airstrike coincides with intensified fighting between the military council and resistance forces along the Asia Highway in Kawkareik Township.
Since April 14th, the military has deployed heavy reinforcements to secure the Kyondo-Kawkareik road section, a strategic route part of the broader Myawaddy-Asia Highway network. Residents confirm that clashes erupted at 9 p.m. on Thursday, the eve of the Water Festival, and have continued unabated.
The military council has framed the operation as a “clearance campaign” to regain control of the highway, a vital trade channel linking Myanmar to Thailand. However, resistance groups allege the junta is escalating violence against civilian areas to suppress dissenters.
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