A Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) officer has been killed in a landmine blast that occured between Thandaunggyi and Hpapun Township in Karen State. The landmine exploded in the vicinity of the Karen National Union Brigade No. 5, but they have denied allegations of being directly responsible for the fatality.

A spokesperson for the KNU Brigade No. 5, Major Saw Ka Leh Doh, said that “We have planted anti-vehicle mines on the road. The Tatmadaw came to the place to find those mines. The Tatmadaw soldiers were injured while attempting to detonate the mine. It was not like our Brigade No.5 caused the mine attack.”

At 3 p.m. on January 27th, the Lieutenant Colonel Aung Kyaw Soe, Commander of Light Infantry Battalion No. 708, was killed in the anti-vehicle mine explosion near Point 3817 near Htin-Shu Daung [Mount Pine] while conducting a road inspection, according to Col. Kyaw Soe Moe, Spokesperson of Southern Command.

“We are checking the road normally. When the commander’s team went there, they were attacked with anti-vehicle mines. The commander was killed. There were no [other injury or dead],” according to Col. Kyaw Soe Moe.

The Tatmadaw has sent a letter of protest to the Union Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC-U) and the KNU regarding the incident.

The KNU has noted the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), states the Tatmadaw is not allowed to use vehicles to transport rations for their troops in the KNU Brigade No. 5 area, rather they are to either walk or use horses.

Although the government and the KNU signed the NCA more than four years ago, there has been no detailed discussions regarding troop movement and placement protocols. There have been frequent clashes between low-level soldiers [of the KNU and the Tatmadaw] in the Brigade No. 5 area.