BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar's military has successfully recaptured the strategic town of Demoso in Kayah state from opposition armed forces, after nearly two years of control by the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and allied resistance groups. This development was reported by state media on Wednesday, emphasizing the military's intensified efforts in recent months, both on the ground and through airstrikes, to regain territories held by resistance forces ahead of the elections scheduled for December 28.
Demoso, located approximately 110 kilometers (70 miles) east of the capital Naypyitaw, has been a significant battleground in Myanmar's ongoing civil war that escalated following the military coup in February 2021, which ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The town had remained under the control of the KNDF and local resistance coalitions since they began joint offensives against military bases in the area in November 2023.
According to the report in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper, Demoso was taken back by the army on Tuesday after 16 days of military operations. The report indicated that soldiers had seized six bodies and five weapons during the operation and acknowledged casualties among the military personnel as well. Photos released by the state media showed armed forces strategically positioned in front of key locations in Demoso, including the hospital, fire department, and town hall.
The KNDF and other local resistance groups did not immediately reply to requests for comments regarding the recapture. However, in a statement posted on Facebook prior to the military's announcement, the KNDF accused the military of conducting unlawful arrests of civilians, indiscriminate shootings, and using civilians as human shields in their attacks on Demoso.
Kayah state, the smallest of Myanmar's seven states, is predominantly inhabited by the Karenni ethnic minority and has been engulfed in intense conflict. The provisional government formed by resistance groups in Kayah, which includes the KNDF, released a statement on Monday claiming that at least 32 civilians had been killed and five wounded in a military airstrike targeting a hospital in Mawchi, a town located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Demoso. Several civilians were reported missing as a result of this attack.
In another incident, independent online media in Myanmar reported that an airstrike claimed the lives of at least 21 individuals in Mogok, a town central to the Southeast Asian country's gem mining industry. The military authorities have not responded to reports of these airstrikes and typically maintain that their operations only target legitimate military threats, labeling resistance forces as terrorists.
The recent military actions in Kayah state are part of a broader pattern of escalating violence and instability in Myanmar, highlighting the severity of the ongoing civil conflict and the dire humanitarian situation affecting civilians in the affected areas.
