A funeral for a People’s Defence Force (PDF) member named Nga Tay was held on Monday at an undisclosed location in Moebye town, located in Pekon Township 100 miles (160 km) south of the Shan State capital Taunggyi and 11 miles (17 km) north of the Karenni State capital Loikaw.
“He was [killed] by a drone during a battle in Moebye [on Saturday]. We retrieved his body out of the debris,” another PDF member told DVB. Nga Tay, 21, graduated from the second batch of the Naypyidaw PDF training program. He has served in the PDF for the last two years.
Karenni resistance forces claim control over six towns in Karenni, including Mese on the Myanmar-Thailand border and Moebye in southern Shan. Loikaw, Bawlakhe and Hpasawng are under regime control.
Since then, five civilians have been killed and 11 have been injured by air, drone and artillery strikes in Pekon, as well as Loikaw and Demoso in Karenni, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF).
The pro-regime Pa-O National Organization (PNO) has reportedly fought alongside the military in southern Shan since January.
The KNDF has restricted access to the Loikaw-Hsihseng road since March 20, as it remains under the control of pro-regime forces. The road connects Loikaw to Hsihseng Township, 39 miles (62 km) to the north, located in Taunggyi District.
“Over 100 cars enter Loikaw through the Loikaw-Hsihseng road every day. Most of them are [Internally Displaced People] returning home,” a Lokaw resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity.
The regime has reportedly relaxed scrutiny for residents displaced from their homes, or IDPs, returning to Loikaw. Hsihseng residents have reported operations by the pro-regime forces, including the PNO, in the township.
