422 Myanmar junta soldiers were killed and 258 were injured in 373 armed conflicts in areas controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU), during the month of March 2023.

The losses came in fighting against the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) and local people’s defence forces (PDFs)

During the same period seven soldiers from the KNLA and its allies were killed and a further 31 were injured.

The figures were released by the Central Headquarters of the KNLA.

A military source from KNU Brigade 2 said that during March there had been an increase in the number of conflicts in the area and the junta had carried out more artillery attacks and air strikes that had injured many civilians.

“Armed clashes intensified in the KNU Brigade 2 area. More heavy weapons were fired into the villages by military troops”, the source said.

He said that the junta had also fired heavy weapons at civilian targets in the KNU Brigade (3) area.

Out of the areas covered, Hpapun (Mutraw) District in the KNU Brigade 5 area saw the most fighting in March with a total of 190 armed clashes happening in the area, where the KNU re-took control of its Maekhahta camp from the junta, who had previously captured it.