Militants ambushed an army convoy delivering supplies in Myanmar.

Senior leaders of the anti-junta Karenni Army said their troops had merged with militia from the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force to ambush the military convoy in Loikaw province, Kayah State on May 7. The vehicles were headed to Mae Hong Son near the Thai-Myanmar border to transport provisions to soldiers.

Led by Captain Cremo, commander of the Karen Kaya special operations unit, the squad killed some 22 Burmese soldiers and captured six more. They also seized four transport trucks which were loaded with ammunition and firearms, including rifles, grenade launchers, and pistols.

The rebels also said they have cut off supplies to the soldiers in western Mae Hong Son by sabotaging the main bridge to block the path.

The struggle between armed militias and the Burmese military has intensified amid the political turmoil in Myanmar caused by the ousting of former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Around the country, thousands of civilians are said to have been killed during military crackdowns on protests.