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Clashes following State Administration Council (SAC) military entered Lay Kay Kaw Town
KNU-HQ
Date: 16th December 2021
13th December 2021, SAC soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion No. 560 under Military Operation Command No.8 entered P'Lu Village and then proceeded to Lay Kay Kaw area, Karen State. The soldier’s setup camp at Lay Kay Kaw hilltop. Their purpose was, to search and arrested civilians who were hiding in Lay Kay Kaw Town. Local authorities from Lay Kay Kaw were aware of the impending situation and informed civilians to flee to a safe place. While some civilians had fled some remained in the town. The next day, on the 14th of December 2021, SAC soldiers entered Lay Kay Kaw Town, searching civilians' houses, and arresting most of the civilians returning that evening to Lay Kay Kaw hilltop. When the SAC soldiers entered Lay Kay Kaw, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) was prepared but they did not engage in fighting due to civilians in the town and concerns about their safety should fighting break out.
At 10am on the 15th of December 2021, SAC soldiers once again entered Lay Kay Kaw Town and broke into civilian houses resulting in fighting between KNLA soldiers from Battalion No. 27 and SAC soldiers. Following the fighting, SAC soldiers asked permission to depart from Lay Kay Kaw Town. Local authorities from Lay Kay Kaw Town permitted them to depart but they did not leave resulting in fighting breaking out again at 5pm. Four SAC soldiers died from the fighting - SAC Captain, Sergeant, Corporal, and solider another four were injured including Lt. Colonel, Captain, and two soldiers.
On the 16th of December 2021, SAC soldiers and Border Guard Forces (BGF) entered Lay Kay Kaw strengthening the troops. At 9am clashes between SAC, BGF and KNLA soldiers at P'Hkee Klaw began and lasted the entire day. The Karen National Union (KNU) is currently investigating how many SAC soldiers died and were injured from the clashes.
As a result of SAC entering Lay Kay Kaw Town around four thousand civilians fled to safety in different areas including Thailand. An SAC mortar landed on the Thai-side injuring some civilians. While SAC soldiers remain in Lay Kay Kaw Town, KNLA provided security and arranged shelter for the fleeing civilians.
Lay Kay Kaw Town was built by the
Karen National Union (KNU) as a symbol of peace between Karen National Union
(KNU) and Burmese/Myanmar government. On the 1st of January 2015, the
Karen National Union (KNU) President, Lieutenant General Saw Mutu Sae Poe teamed
up with Karen State Minister U Zaw Min and Nippon Foundation to build Lay Kay
Kaw Town. The town was specifically
built for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who had fled the civil war to
return and resettle in.
On the 1st of February 2021, after the coup d’état and the Burmese military sized power, SAC has arrested National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders and the civilians who participated in the protests against the military coup. Many civilians who joined protests in town, NLD leaders, and participants from the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) fled to Karen National Union (KNU) controlled areas. The KNU had arranged and provided shelter for some of them in Lay Kay Kaw Town. SAC tried to enter Lay Kay Kaw Town many times, but local authorities did not give them permission. On the 14th of December 2021, SAC soldiers entered Lay Kay Kaw resulting in fighting. SAC actions shows that they have destroyed the symbol of peace and are against human rights.
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