The junta started carrying out census enumeration in downtown Kyainseikgyi Town on 1 October and it is believed this is what precipitated the drone attack.
A Kyainseikgyi resident said: “Because they conducted the census, they were attacked with a drone. The explosion near the police station was extremely loud. We have not heard of any injuries so far. The census has been conducted for two days, and many households have already completed it.”
Following the drone attack, the junta base inside Kyainseikgyi Town fired heavy artillery into areas just outside the town.
Kyainseikgyi Town is in Dooplaya District, an area traditionally controlled by the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) Brigade 6. Though Brigade 6 controls most of the rural areas in Dooplaya District, the junta still controls the bigger towns in the district.
The junta has only been able to carry out the census in the towns it controls in Dooplaya District, which include Kyainseikgy and Kawkareik towns. In more rural areas and other towns under KNU control in Dooplaya District the junta has been unable to carry out census enumeration.
Though the junta operates schools in villages like Hparpya and Kyongawon in Dooplaya District’s Waw Ray (Win Ray) Township it cannot carry out the census there because they are in areas controlled by the KNU.
Just before the start of census enumeration, which is due to run from 1 to 15 October the KNU issued a statement saying that the junta should not carry out a census whilst most of Myanmar is under the control of revolutionary forces.
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