Karen News

Though the 7.7-magnitude earthquake had its epicentre under Sagaing City about 228 miles (367 km) to the north of Taungoo Town it still caused a lot of damage in the town. According to collated data, as of 3 April, the earthquake had killed 17 people, including six children, and destroyed approximately 100 houses in Taungoo Town. As aid teams have…

International media has been eager to enter Myanmar to cover the aftermath of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake with its epicentre in Sagaing. It caused widespread destruction to cities, towns, and villages, including the cities of Sagaing, Mandalay, Tada-U, Taungoo, and the capital, Naypyidaw. But, the junta has refused to allow journalists from international media organisations to enter the country, because…

“When I saw my house in ruins, completely shattered, I was speechless, overwhelmed by immense pain. The misery was unbearable, and I didn’t want to stay in my village anymore,” said Naung Mu Pali, struggling to hold back her emotions, after her house was destroyed in a junta airstrike on 5 March 2025. 28-year-old Naung Mu Pali lived in Ashun…

A dosshouse is a very cheap boarding house that rents out bunks on a daily basis to homeless and poor people seeking cheap accommodation. Many junta soldiers surrounded the dosshouse, before arresting around 20 people they accused of failing to register as overnight guests. One of the neighbours said to KIC: “The people arrested included those over 50, as well…

There were airstrikes on the villages both in the morning and the afternoon of 25 March. They came after a Karen National Union (KNU)-led coalition started attacking a junta camp in Sintoehla Village at 7:00 pm the previous evening, 24 March. On the morning of 25 March a jet fighter and a Y-12 utility aircraft bombed Sintoehla Village on the…

The coastal areas of Tanintharyi Township typically experience freshwater shortages at this time of year during the hot season. Normally, IDPs sheltering in hilly areas of the township rely primarily on natural streams and sinkholes for water. However, with the current high temperatures continuing to rise the availability of water from these sources is dwindling, making life increasingly hard for…

Lynn Zay picks up a sack of rice and stacks it on top of eight others on his small Honda motorcycle. The nine bags of rice are to be delivered to a family of three in need of a helping hand. The rice and other basic foodstuff – oil, dried fish, noodles, beans – are donations for exiled Myanmar journalists…

Thailand set up refugee camps for them on the border with Myanmar. Now there are nine refugee camps along the border in Thailand: Mae La, Umpiem Mai, Nupo, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Mae La Oon, Tham Hin, Ban Don Yang, and Karenni Refugee Camps 1 and 2. The largest of those camps, Mae La, across from Karen State, was established…

On 11 April 2024, the junta launched its Operation Aung Zeya to take back control of AH1, between Myawaddy Town on the border with Thailand and Kawkareik Town, from a Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) led resistance coalition. But after suffering many casualties and captured soldiers the junta decided to abandon Operation Aung Zeya at the beginning of March 2025…

District health officer Padoh Naw El Sel Toe said to KIC: “There is currently a shortage of antimalarial drugs and medical equipment in Myeik and Dawei districts. Since USAID funding ended, the supply of antimalarial drugs has been cut off. The situation is challenging, and we are exploring alternative solutions. She explained that in Myeik and Dawei districts respiratory diseases…