The Myanmar military regime flew airstrikes on villages and burned houses in eastern Shwegu Township, Kachin State, destroying three villages.
After clashes occurred near the villages of Winwa, Naunglattgyi, Hngettadar, Sithar, Simulay and Manwein on the morning of 5 April, the junta’s air force bombed the villages at least three times, a local woman from Shwegu told Kachin News Group (KNG).
“There were clashes throughout the morning. Around 9 am, they set fire to Simulay and Simugyi villages. Around 4 pm, the regime bombed Sithar village with fighter jets. They bombed the village three times and the whole village has been destroyed. The rest of the villages are on fire,” she said.
Currently, the three villages – Simulay, Simugyi and Sithar – have been destroyed by the regime’s airstrikes. The KNG was still trying to verify the damage as junta forces continued to burn neighboring villages.
The airstrikes, which took place between 4 pm and 5 pm, reportedly caused no casualties as residents fled their villages.
In addition to the airstrikes, the regime fired artillery indiscriminately from villages such as Manhkar, Sithar, and Kinpoke.
Thousands of people from seven villages were displaced into the forests after about 200 regime soldiers entered the area in the eastern part of Shwegu Township since 23 March.
“We sought shelter from the war in downtown areas and we still got driven out by the military council. Now they are hiding under the big trees in the forests,” said another displaced woman.
There have been more than five clashes between regime troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defense Forces (PDF) since late March, and tensions between the two sides have remained high for about two weeks.
Sent by KNG.