Hsu/ Thant Zin (NP News) - September 6 

A team repairing the Kawh­nwe Bridge in Kawkareik Township, Kayin State, was attacked by a suicide drone, resulting in one death and eight injuries. The bridge, located on the Asian Highway, had previously been destroyed by mines planted by a joint KNU and PDF force.

On December 15, 2023, the KNU and PDF groups destroyed the Kawhnwe Bridge by planting mines. The bridge, a 196-foot-long, 40-foot-wide reinforced concrete structure, was located near Kawhnwe Village on the Asian Highway, which connects Kawkareik and Myawaddy in Kayin State's Kawkareik Township.

The destruction caused by the mines halted the flow of goods and created travel difficulties for the public.

To help local people with transportation and the flow of goods, the government began repairing the bridge. On September 1, at around 1:30 PM, a special repair team was working on the Kawhnwe Bridge. This team included a deputy director, one engineer, and 26 workers. During the repairs, KNU and PDF-affiliated terrorist groups attacked the team with two suicide drones. The drones were launched from Payapin Village, located about 3,600 meters northwest of the bridge, and Myohaung Village, about 3,700 meters south of the bridge.

In the attack by the joint KNU and PDF force, one man working on the bridge was killed and eight others were injured. Following this, security forces secured the area around the incident. The injured were taken to the local Tatmadaw Hospital in Kawkareik for initial treatment and then to Taungkalay Hospital in Hpa-an for further medical care.

The public strongly condemns the terrorists' destruction of roads and bridges, which are not military targets, because these actions severely harm the local community's socio-economic well-being. In response, security forces are stepping up operations against the terrorists in the area. –