The Myanmar Army and Kayin Border Guard Force continued to search on Tuesday for remnants of the Klo Htoo Baw Karen Organization (KKO), or Democratic Kayin Benevolent Association (DKBA) in Kayin State’s Kawkareik Township after reopening two roads that had been seized by the ethnic armed group the Global New Light of Myanmar reported on 15 July.
A joint patrol came under heavy weapons fire from KKO fighters in the urban ward of Kawkareik on Monday night. During a patrol earlier in the day, Government forces had seized a weapons cache including a mortar and homemade mines, aswell as two vehicles.
On Sunday night, a Mynamar Army patrol seized machineguns, grenade launchers and ammunition from Aungbala Hill and its surrounding area. They also arrested two KKO members while searching Kaunghmu Village.
The KKO placed toll gates on the Kawkareik-Thingan-Nyinaung-Myawady Road and New Asian Highway and had been restricting access.
