Residents of Kyauktaung village in Mon State’s Thaton Township are worried that fighting between a coalition led by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Myanmar military could escalate after artillery shells fired by junta troops hit a pagoda festival.

At least 20 artillery shells were fired by the Myanmar military’s Light Infantry Battalion No. 9 in Win Pa village, Thaton Township, on the night of March 19, and two artillery shells reportedly landed on the pagoda festival in Kyauktaung village.

A 50-year-old woman from Kyauktaung village and a 7-year-old child from Peinhne village were killed, and seven others were injured in the shelling, according to local sources.

“Two locals were killed and seven others were injured when artillery shells fired by the military council fell on a pagoda festival in Thaton Township. I don’t know exactly at this time whether there will be a battle,” said a source close to the KNLA, which is the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU).

A resident of Kyauktaung village told DMG that civilian casualties in the hostilities between the KNLA and regime forces are mounting,

“Military tensions between the KNLA and the Myanmar military are running high due to artillery shelling on a pagoda festival. Locals are worried about more fighting,” the source added.

The Myanmar military has not yet commented on reports that locals were killed in Saturday’s shelling.

There have been frequent clashes between the KNLA and the Myanmar military in KNU Brigade 1 territory, such as Kyaikto, Bilin, Thaton and Hpa-an townships, with many civilians displaced by the conflict.