Battle of Kawkareik

Battle of Kawkareik
Part of Myanmar civil war (2021–present)
Date21 October 2022
Location
Kawkareik, Kayin State, Myanmar
16°34′14″N 98°17′02″E / 16.57057°N 98.28390°E / 16.57057; 98.28390
Result SAC victory
Belligerents

State Administration Council

Karen National Liberation Army
Kawthoolei Army

People's Defence Force
Commanders and leaders

L Say Warr (KTLA)

Bo Kyaw Thet †
Casualties and losses
9 dead 1 dead, 3 injured
3 dead, 16+ injured[2]

The Battle of Kawkareik or siege of Kawkareik occurred in late October 2022 when the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) escalated fighting in southeastern Myanmar and besieged the district-level capital town of Kawkareik. At the time, it appeared to be a significant first seizure of a major town by anti-junta forces since the renewed civil war.[3]

Fighting broke out on 21 October with a series of surprise attacks on the Asia Highway leading into Kawkareik and at government offices within the town.[1] Ultimately, the resistance forces were unable to take the urban areas due to the junta's air and artillery strikes.[3] Heavy artillery shelling and air strikes from the junta targeted the military garrison base in Ward 2, while the rebel forces engaged in a battle near the General Administration Department office in Ward 7. According to the KNLA, their objective was to draw junta reinforcements away from surrounding positions and was never to take the town.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Heavy Fighting Between Myanmar Junta, Resistance Reported in Karen's Kawkareik". The Irrawaddy. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference irr2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference adat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).