Fierce fighting raged around Htiphosan Village in northern Kawkareik Township, Karen State, from early November until November 5, inflicting heavy casualties on the junta forces.
The junta columns suffered heavy casualties from attacks by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and allied resistance groups. Consequently, the troops withdrew to Kyondoe Town in Kawkareik Township to regroup with newly arrived reinforcements, according to a resistance source.
“Junta troops tried to push forward toward Miphale and Mtiphosan villages but had to pull back after losing at least 10 soldiers and leaving more than 20 wounded. They were later reinforced by a large number of troops from the junta’s Light Infantry Battalions 545 and 546 in Kyondoe. On November 4, they launched another offensive from the Miphale side, and fighting around Htiphosan has been ongoing ever since. Besides the ground clashes, both sides have also been dropping bombs from drones,” he told KIC.
On the morning of November 5, junta troops blew up a bridge at the entrance to Htiphosan Village. Fierce clashes with the KNLA-led coalition followed as the coup regime troops tried to advance toward Naunghtuttar and Kwimaungtaing villages.
Meanwhile, other junta columns from Kawkareik Town were moving toward Yankoke, Kyaungsharkone, Hlaingsein, and Michaunginn villages, trying to reach the road along Dawna Mountain, leading to clashes with the KNLA around Hlaingsein and Michaunginn.
“The junta’s Infantry Battalion 97 has been shelling the outskirts of Kawkareik Town almost every day with artillery. Their troops have been trying to push through Yankoke and Hlaingsein but haven’t had any success. Their main goal is to retake the old road that leads to Myawaddy Town,” said a military analyst from Kawkareik Town.
The junta regained control of the Asian Highway 1 (AH1), connecting Myawaddy and Kyondoe, in September. It then launched a major operation to retake the old road through the Dawna Mountain Range to Myawaddy, but so far, it has suffered heavy losses and made no progress.
