The junta, aiming to launch an offensive on the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Road in Karen State, is sending reinforcements to its troops stationed in the area.
On the morning of August 28, approximately 40 military vehicles arrived at the headquarters of Infantry Battalion 97 (IB 97) in Kawkareik Town, while around 10 vehicles dispatched from Hpa-An, the capital of Karen State, reached the Military Operations Command 12 (MOC 12) near the town, according to a witness.
“Early this morning, a long convoy passed through Kyondoe Town in Kawkareik Township. The vehicles that reached IB 97 were carrying about 500 soldiers as reinforcements, including troops trained to handle drones and missiles. We’ve also heard that the junta is sending soldiers picked from battalions under the command of combat divisions 22, 44, 55, and 66 to Kawkareik,” he told KIC.
Around 9:00 am on August 28, IB 97 and the Hlaingwa Hill-based artillery unit began shelling the two main routes linking Myawaddy and Kawkareik: Asia Highway 1 and the old road that passes through the Dawna Mountain Range.
On July 26, the junta declared its intention to retake the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Road, which it has lost control of for over a year. Reports indicate the coup regime aims to reach Myawaddy within 90 days, though KIC has not independently confirmed this.
