Bridge Repairing Team attacked: Terrorists attacked workers with suicide drones

KNU and PDF terrorists, with the aim of disrupting national stability, the rule of law, and the region's socio-economic development, have been hiding in Kawt Nwet village and nearby areas in Kawkareik Township.

They have engaged in various acts of terrorism, including planting mines to blow up vehicles, burning and destroying cars to obstruct the Kawkareik-Myawaddy section of the Asian Highway, blowing up and destroying bridges, and extorting money.

On December 15, 2023, the terrorists planted a mine on the Kawkareik-Myawaddy Asian Highway in Kawkareik, Kayin State, and blew up the 196-foot-long, 40-foot-wide reinforced concrete Kawt Nwet Bridge. The destruction of the bridge halted the flow of goods and created significant travel difficulties for the public.

To restore transportation and the flow of goods for local residents, the government is undertaking reconstruction efforts. On September 1st, at around 1:30 PM, as a special bridge team led by a Deputy Director and composed of one engineer and 26 workers was carrying out repairs, the terrorists used two suicide drones to attack the team from Pyar Pin ပျားပင် village (approximately 3,600 meters northwest of the bridge) and from Myo Haung  village (approximately 3,700 meters south of the bridge).

The attack resulted in the death of one male worker and injuries to eight others. Security forces have secured the area. The injured were taken to the local military hospital in Kawkareik for initial medical treatment and have been arranged for transfer to Taungkale Hospital in Hpa-An for further care.Local residents are strongly condemning and rejecting the terrorists' actions of destroying non-military infrastructure like roads and bridges, which severely harms the socio-economic lives of the community. Security forces are also stepping up necessary security operations to take action against the terrorists.