KARENNI STATE, Myanmar - The military set fire to a Catholic church in Demoso Township, Karenni (Kayah) State, on Wednesday and then left, according to a local resistance force spokesperson.

"Junta forces occupied the Daw Ngay Khu church compound and established a base there." When they left, they set fire to the church."

According to the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force's (KNDF) information officer, the main worship building, the community hall, and the priest's home were destroyed by fire.

Since June 10, fierce battles have raged between the military and allied Karenni resistance forces in the vicinity of Daw Ngay Khu, located along the highway connecting Demoso to the state capital of Loikaw, some 16 kilometers north.

According to the KNDF, at least ten junta soldiers were killed in recent fighting near the village.

According to the KNDF information officer, the junta column that suffered casualties was the same unit that destroyed the church earlier and left for the town of Hpruso after mining the area.

"They planted landmines in the grass fields surrounding the church compound." "We don't know how many there are, but more than ten of them, and we can't defuse them," he explained.