In Demoso Township, Karenni State, Junta forces are no longer stationed in the town wards and surrounding villages. These areas have been under the control of resistance forces since December 2023, but due to the presence of landmines, residents and war-displaced individuals are still unable to return.
After resistance forces launched 'Operation 1111' centered on Loikaw on November 11th, 2023, all Junta troops stationed in Demoso withdrew. During this retreat, the Junta troops planted numerous landmines in the wards and villages of Demoso. An information officer of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), speaking through the Kantarawaddy Times, cautioned residents against returning home due to another risk of Junta airstrikes, apart from the landmines, which could occur at any moment.
A resident of Demoso highlighted that the unsafe conditions for returning home stem from the presence of landmines and the continuous shelling by the Junta.
"As of now, we dare not even consider returning home. The fighting is ongoing around Loikaw, with the Junta's 102nd Infantry Battalion and 427th Light Infantry Battalion remaining active in the area. This means the battle could flare up again at any moment and anywhere. Furthermore, the risk of being shelled by artillery while traveling on Union Road is a major concern. As such, there is currently no safe way to return home”, he told Kantarawaddy Times.
"The areas vacated by the Junta troops were in close proximity to their current battalions, making their artillery strikes easily accessible. The threat of airstrikes also still looms large. As a consequence, the once-combat zones remain unsafe and unsuitable for locals to resettle”, he explained.
At present, Demoso residents are returning temporarily for cleaning and maintenance of their homes, but they do not have permanent residences yet. Meanwhile, the 102nd Infantry Battalion and 427th Light Infantry Battalion near Demoso continue to shell residential areas.
Even among those who temporarily returned home, in the first two months of 2024, one person was killed by a Junta airstrike, and another had his right leg amputated after stepping on a landmine.
