The Karenni State Interim Executive Council (IEC) told DVB that five family members of detained regime soldiers were killed and around 20 others were injured by airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar Air Force near a detention center in Mese Township, Karenni State, on Thursday.  

Banyar Aung, the IEC secretary 2, told DVB that one male and four females, including an eight-year-old, were killed. Mese, located along the Myanmar-Thailand border is 109 miles (175 km) south of the Karenni State capital Loikaw. It was seized by Karenni resistance forces in November 2023. 

Banyar added that the detention center hit by the airstrikes is where the family members of regime troops detained after fighting in Hpasawng Township are being held. 

Regime media has not reported any airstrikes but pro-military social media accounts claimed that the strikes targeted resistance forces. 

Residents told DVB that the people affected by the airstrikes were temporarily relocated to a safe place where the 20 injured received medical treatment by local aid groups.  

Airstrikes were previously carried out near an IEC-run prison in Mese after more than 80 regime soldiers escaped on Jan. 18. Nearly 70 of them crossed the border into Thailand and were transferred by the Thai authorities back to the regime in Myanmar. 

A bridge connecting Hpasawng to Mese was destroyed by the Karenni Army (KA) to stop regime forces from advancing on Feb. 17. Hpasawng, located 36 miles (58 km) northwest of Mese and 73 miles (117 km) south of Loikaw, was retaken by regime forces on Feb. 15. 

Karenni resistance forces told DVB that they re-entered Hpasawng on Feb. 17 and are now battling with regime forces over control of the town.

Residents told DVB that fighting has continued in Loikaw, Moebye, Hpasawng and Pekon, which is in neighbouring Shan State located 21 miles (33 km) north of Loikaw and 104 miles (167 km) south of the Shan State capital Taunggyi.

Sources in Karenni told DVB that the regime forces have been supported by the pro-military Pa-O National Organization (PNO) based in southern Shan after the armed uprising to the 2021 military coup began. 

The Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG), an independent human rights organization established in 2016, has documented that 11 civilians have been killed and 32 others have been injured by airstrikes, artillery shelling and drone attacks since January.

Karenni has a total of seven townships. Demoso, Hpruso, Bawlakhe and Loikaw are under regime control. Karenni resistance forces control Mese and Shadaw along the Myanmar-Thailand border.