A monk was killed and three other monks were seriously injured when an artillery shell landed on Shwe Kyat Min Monastery in Karen State’s Kawkareik Township at about 10:00 a.m. on 26 December.

The head of a local volunteer organisation said: “Early in the morning junta soldiers from 44th Division arrived at the monastery. After they left, the monastery was hit by an artillery shell. I'm not sure why they came to the monastery. When the shell exploded a monk died on the spot and three others were injured and taken to Hpa-An Hospital.”

He added that at the time of the explosion there were 20 monks living in the monastery.

From 16 December until the time of reporting the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Kaw Thoo Lei Army, local PDFs and defence forces have been attacking military council checkpoints and bases in and around Kawkareik Township, inflicting numerous casualties on the junta soldiers, who have fought back with artillery and airstrikes, according to the local volunteer organisation hea