“Locals observe 2 helicopters ferrying the wounded to Demoso Township- Karenni State”
According to local residents, on March 27, two helicopters had been observed carrying troops who had been injured during the Dawtamagyi battle in the eastern part of Demoso Township, Karenni State.
“What we think is that they were carrying back the injured soldiers. They took them back by plane. The Mi-35 Russian helicopter followed behind as security. Because there are many casualties, we believe that they were sent from Bawlakhe to Loikaw by plane and helicopter,” said a local witness from the east side of Demoso.
Two helicopters flew from Bawlakhe to Loikaw at 4:20pm on March 27.
According to Khu Re Reh, the Secretary 3 of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), approximately 100 soldiers were killed, and many more were injured on the side of the military council during the fighting that has been taking place in the eastern part of Demoso Township since March 9.
“We don’t know exactly. As far as we can guess, there are around 100. It’s not less than that,”he said.
On March 27, local residents reported that a warplane was seen flying back and forth between Loikaw and Bawlakhe around 6:00 a.m. They also reported seeing helicopters flying around at approximately 5:00 p.m.
On March 24, a village in the eastern part of Di Mosso Township was bombed by jet fighters and helicopters, and around 100 houses were destroyed by fire.
Since March 8, there has been fighting between the battalions under the 2nd Military Operations Command (MOC-2) of the Military Council, comprising approximately 330 troops from Infantry Battalion 12, Light Infantry Battalion 516, Light Infantry Battalion 515, which have been conducting combat operations from Bawlakhe to Demoso township, and the Karenni Local Defense Joint Force along Dawnyekhu, Dawsohpya, and Dawtamagyi villages.
As of March 26, the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) reported that the fighting is ongoing and that there have been many casualties on the side of the Military Council.
