Mizzima

On 11 July defence forces attacked a junta military camp in Karen State’s Thandaunggyi Township but they had to retreat after seven hours of fighting and junta airstrikes.

The defence forces attacked the military camp near to Yardo Village on the Taungoo to Leiktho to Loikaw highway at around 5:00 a.m. on 11 July according to a member of Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 2, one of the groups involved in the attack.

“The attack was carried out early in the morning.  The fighting lasted quite a long time. They were still shooting until around 12 noon. We weren't able to occupy the camp and we had to retreat,” he said.

Another KNLA fighter said that during the fighting three junta fighter jets from Taungoo Air Force Base were used by Military Council to bomb the villages of Yardo, Warthawkho, Kaleihta, and Paralsoe. This destroyed several houses and forced villagers to flee. Villagers were still fleeing the area as of 8:00 a.m. on 12 July.

Junta casualties are currently unknown, but according to reports, one defence force member was killed and three more were wounded.

As of the evening of 12 July, the junta was still sporadically firing artillery in the vicinity of Yardo Village, even though there was no fighting in the area at that time.

The rebel fighters involved in the attack on the military camp were from the KNLA and local people’s defence forces (PDFs).