Regional BGFs threatened that if the resistance forces fighting against the Military Council were accepted, clashes would occur in their communities, villages and towns they would all suffer, a local said.

In Kyondoe of Kawkareik District in Karen State, the Karen Border Guard Forces (BGF) warned locals people not to accept People’s Defense Forces (PDF) and CDM staff.

They warned that our villages and wards would be destroyed,if we accepted any PDFs. They also accused PDFs as instigators of riots and that the BGFs are taking care of the community to keep it peaceful, one local said. And BGF troops also warned the locals not to go out after 8:00 PM, and not to post about nearby shootings, artillery shelling and battles on social media platforms.

Meanwhile members of the Tokawko-based Karen Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC) have also set up checkpoints in Nabu, Htiposan and Naungtapwe Villages in Kawkareik and spread about 20 outposts to Tadat-oo neighborhood in Kawkareik.

“Recently, an unknown armed group came to PC Win Kyaw’s house near Htiposan-Miphale- Naungkai intersection and opened fire.Then they burned the house down. PDFs were accused as the perpetrator of the incident. Currently residents are pressured not to accept PDFs and to report if resistance groups led by Bo Kyaw Thet and Bo Lat Pyat enter their

areas.There are also rumors that locals may be arrested and tortured if the Army enters the villages. That’s why most of the villagers no longer stay in the villages and moved to the monastery”, a local villager said.

In recent days, the Military Council has been conducting operations by deploying four columns in Taungkyainn, Ywa Thit, Asia Road and Outbotei areas in Kawkareik. BGF, KNU/KNLA-PC and DKBA are patrolling from Kawkareik and Kyondoe to towns of Myawaddy and Hpa-An for the sake of regional stability, according to armed groups close to the Military Council.