Myanmar lethwei fighters train amid civil war

In Myanmar's lethwei heartland of Hpa-an, more than 100 teenagers and young adults trained in the bareknuckle martial art as the country remained consumed by civil war.

Lethwei, traditional Burmese boxing, allows headbutts and is fought with fists wrapped only in thin gauze. It is known as the “Art of Nine Limbs” because fighters can use fists, elbows, knees, feet and the head.

Su Luck, a 19-year-old fighter who uses the ring name “Peace Prize,” said she had never considered giving up the sport and wanted to keep improving. She is described as a rising fighter in a sport dominated by men and dreams of becoming a schoolteacher.

Veteran fighter and coach Saw Kyaw Thein Tuu called lethwei an art of self-defence. He also said he had witnessed deaths in the sport, saying six people were killed in about 200 matches he had attended.

Moe Hein, a 22-year-old fighter training in Hpa-an, said he did not feel happy when opponents were badly hurt, but described the violence as part of the sport.

Myanmar's civil war has killed more than 100,000 people on all sides, according to ACLED, an organisation that monitors media reports of violence. In Karen state, more than 260,000 people are living displaced, according to United Nations data.