Skirmish followed by looting

During June 2021, State Administration Council (SAC)[2] Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[3] #406 under Military Operation Command (MOC)[4] [#8] cooperated with Border Guard Force (BGF)[5] #1014 under Company Second-in-Command Bo[6] Tin Win in conducting road security for their operations in T’Kaw Boe village tract[7], Hpa-an Township, Doo Tha Htoo (Thaton) District. This area is under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU)[8]. Thus, in response to the movements and activities of the BGF and SAC, and in order to defend their territory, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[9] Battalion #1 attacked the BGF and SAC troops at Noh Hkay area near L--- village, T’Kaw Boe village tract on June 21st 2021. The skirmish took place outside of the village and the fighting lasted only a few minutes. There was no mortar shelling or civilian casualties, however, the gunfire frightened local civilians leading all L--- villagers to flee from their village.  

After the fighting ended, SAC and BGF soldiers entered into the house of L--- villagers Saw H--- and Naw I---. The soldiers confiscated one of their solar panels, and stole a gold necklace, one pair of gold earrings, one gold ring with a green stone, and one large can of rice. The villagers were absent at the time because they had fled into the forest. After the SAC and BGF soldiers left the village, all of the villagers returned to their village safely. Saw H---and Naw I---, however, returned to their home to find that items that the couple had saved over the course of their lives for their family and their future children had now been stolen from them. [This is a clear violation of section 9(d) of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA),[10] which prevents signatories from engaging in “looting, theft, or the taking of property without permission”. The Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 also explicitly prohibits the looting of civilian property during armed conflict.] The couple could not report the case to any court, including the KNU justice system, due to the lack of rule of law under the current military coup.According to an update on July 6th 2021, the BGF and SAC soldiers have now returned to their army base at Meh Leh Hta Hkee gate, K’Ser Law K’Tee Place[11], Boo Prer village tract, Hpa-an Township.