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July 17, 2025 |
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Two new school buildings destroyed by Burma Army airstrikes in Chi Baw Village, central Karen State. |
As Fighting Continues in Karen and Karenni States, Ranger Teams Return to Sagaing Division and Sudan |
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Burma Army airstrikes increased from last week, with civilians in central Karen and Karenni states facing the majority of the attacks. Despite this, resistance forces took prisoners and territory, while Rangers worked to provide food and supplies to hundreds of displaced people. Rangers conducted a relief mission in the the Naga Self-Administration Zone in Sagaing Division, Burma this past spring, and Rangers also recently returned to Sudan, providing medical aid and spiritual support. |
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Left: Burma Army soldiers captured by the KNLA are fed and cared for by Ranger teams. Right: Burma Army soldiers after surrendering to resistance forces. |
Top: Burma Army soldiers captured by the KNLA are fed and cared for by Ranger teams. Bottom: Burma Army soldiers after surrendering to resistance forces. |
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On June 25 at 2200 hours, a battle occurred between Burma Army soldiers and two Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) battalions in Taung Suu Village, Mone Township, Kler Lwee Htoo District, northern Karen State, resulting in the capture of 22 Burma Army soldiers. Rangers proceeded to feed and care for the prisoners, under the supervision of the KNLA. |
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Left: Ranger medics treat a villager in a field hospital set up for an IDP camp in Kyone Doe Township. Right: A temporary home in an IDP camp for Kawkhoi villagers. |
Top: Ranger medics treat a villager in a field hospital set up for an IDP camp in Kyone Doe Township. Bottom: A temporary home in an IDP camp for Kawkhoi villagers. |
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In Kaw T’ree Township, Dooplaya District, fighting continues between KNLA allied forces and the Burma Army, with forces in Ukerihta successfully seizing a Burma military base.
On July 13 around 1313 hours, in Wawlay Mying Village, two Burma Army fighter jets from Naypyidaw and Mawlamyine air bases bombed areas near the Burma Army’s artillery base on Waw Lay Hill, where they suspected KNLA allied forces were located. One of the bombs hit Thit Sae Lel village school and caused serious damage. Later that day, around 1840 hours, a Burma military Y-12 aircraft dropped around ten packages of ammunition and supplies by parachute into their Waw Lay artillery base. Some of the supplies were seized by the KNLA and allied forces.
On July 12, near Ukerihta Village, KNLA and allied forces attacked and successfully seized the Burma Army’s base in Ukerihta. The operation began at 0800 hours, ending with the capture of the entire base around 1330 hours. During the retreat, 64 Burma Army soldiers fled towards Thailand. Additionally, some weapons and ammunition were seized, and damage inside the base was recorded. On July 9th and 10th in Mawtu Village, Ranger medics treated a total of 11 patients, with ailments ranging from infections, gastritis, malaria, low immunity, joint pain, and aching. The same day in Kwi Ta Ho Village, Ranger medics treated 43 villagers suffering from similar ailments.
In Kyone Doe Township, Dooplaya District, KNLA, Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), and other resistance forces faced continued bombings from the Burma Army by drones and aircraft, while Rangers reached out to local villages and IDP camps to provide medicine and treatment.
On July 8 in Ngar Tine Village, around 2130 hours, battles between the Burma Army and KNLA and allies took place with the exchange of heavy weapons fire. Several days later, on July 13, KNLA troops engaged Burma Army troops marching through the village. Clashes continued the next day, July 14, as Burma military drones dropped three bombs.
The same day in Yay Puu Gyi Village, KNLA allies engaged the Burma Army with three 81mm mortars. The Burma Army responded by dropping seven drone bombs in the village, carrying out two airstrikes, and using Y-12 aircraft to drop a total of 32 bombs.
From July 7-14, Rangers built a field clinic in an IDP camp of over 809 people from Kawkhoi Village. Here, Ranger medics provided malaria testing and medical treatment to almost a dozen soldiers from the KNLA and KNDO and many villagers living in the camp. Ranger teams also met with village leaders to discuss supply distribution and support and provided encouragement to the villagers.
In Doo Tha Htoo District on July 10, Burma Army jet fighters dropped two bombs in Chi Baw Village, destroying two new school buildings, one shop, and one motorbike. In Kyauk Poung Village, Rangers organized a GLC program that provided over 60 students and five teachers with food, encouragement, and necessary school supplies.
In Ohne Ta Pin Village, T’Nay Cha Township, Hpa-An District, a KNLA soldier was hit with a hand grenade during an exchange of fire with the Burma military. |
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Left: The funeral for an entire family killed by Burma military airstrikes in Maw Chee Village. Right: A villager house in Maw Chee Village destroyed by a 500lb Burma military bomb which killed five villagers. |
Top: The funeral for an entire family killed by Burma military airstrikes in Maw Chee Village. Bottom: A villager house in Maw Chee Village destroyed by a 500lb Burma military bomb which killed five villagers. |
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In Hpasawng Township, Bawlake District, Karenni State, the Burma military attacked Maw Chee Village on July 9, killing a family of five, including a three-year-old child, Naw Waa Sati Phoe, and injuring six other villagers, including one pregnant woman. The airstrike also destroyed six houses, two church buildings, and a prayer house. Maw Chee Village was targeted again on July 14, when a Burma military jet dropped two 500lb bombs, killing six villagers, and wounding three more. The airstrike also destroyed several villager homes. Since June 25, the Burma military has launched more than five air attacks against Maw Chee Village.
In West Demoso Township, Loikaw District, Karenni State, on July 14, a Burma military jet dropped two 500lb bombs on Wa Ban Ba Lo Village clinic at 0115 hours, destroying clinic buildings but resulting in no casualties. The same day, the Burma military carried out three airstrikes in Wa Ban Ba Lo Village and Pa Say La Village.
In southern Shan State, on July 8, a Burma military jet dropped two 500lb bombs in Sa Laung Village IDP camp, Phekhon Township, at 2300, killing three IDPs and wounding five others, including a pregnant woman. |
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Left: Praying before food distribution at an IDP camp. Right: Rangers treat a baby in Phaphuk Village. |
Top: Praying before food distribution at an IDP camp. Bottom: Rangers treat a baby in Phaphuk Village. |
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Early this spring, Ranger teams from the Naga Self-Administration Zone carried out a relief mission in Ah Thet Sik area in Zingaling Khamti District. They distributed rice to 145 internally displaced families in Homalin Village. The team also provided mobile medical treatment in several villages. Rangers served in Heinkuk Upper and Heinkuk Lower villages, then continued to Yekyaw and Nine Mile Villages. The mission concluded with Rangers providing medical support in Phaphuk, Chinminethong, Minethong and Naungpin Villages. |
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Left: A GLC program brings smiles to students. Right: A mother and a child participating in a children’s program in Sudan. |
Top: A GLC program brings smiles to students. Bottom: A mother and a child participating in a children’s program in Sudan. |
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In 2014, David Eubank and the Free Burma Rangers were first invited to help in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Those first missions built strong relationships of love that have continued until now. This past June, another FBR team returned for a mission and further strengthened the bonds created years ago.
From June 13 to 25, Rangers conducted a series of training and evangelistic outreaches across multiple regions in South Sudan and Sudan, equipping chaplains from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) and serving IDP communities with medical aid and spiritual support.
Rangers began by training SPLM-N chaplains on June 13 at Heiban Bible College (HBC) in the Heiban area of the Nuba Mountains, equipping them to serve their communities with both spiritual and tangible support. A few days later, on June 19, in Tonguli, Delami County, Rangers offered basic medical care, children’s programming, and shared the gospel with 350 internally displaced persons (IDPs). Continuing in Sarfai, Delami County, on June 20, the team provided further medical and security training for 30 SPLM-N members and 45 villagers, and shared the gospel via FBR motto, emphasizing that true healing begins with love. On June 25, the team connected with 100 chaplains in Juba, Central Equatorial State, South Sudan. They shared the gospel and provided encouragement by distributing FBR/FNR (Free Nuba Rangers) T-shirts, Day of Prayer booklets, and Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) audio Bibles. |
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