Some stupas at the Sri Mingala Taung Taw (Taung Kwe Pagoda) in Loikaw, Karenni (Kayah) State, were hit by artillery shells fired by Myanmar Army troops, according to residents and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF).
“They targeted Taung Kwe Pagoda because both residents and our comrades have access to the town and the pagoda and are taking photos and so on. Some stupas were damaged. Some of our soldiers are stationed at the pagoda,” said Khun Be Du from the KNDF.
Fighting continues in Loikaw and artillery shelling by the military junta has damaged Taung Kwe Pagoda and some monasteries where internally displaced people have taken refuge, according to local residents.
“An elderly uncle was badly hit when he took refuge in a shop space near the Independence Monument in front of Taung Kwe Pagoda,” said a resident of Mingalar Ward in Loikaw on 10 December.
On the morning of 10 December, Thiri Mingalar Market (South Market) in Loikaw was burned down due to shelling, which was a unilateral attack by the military junta, said Khun Be Du of the KNDF.
“We inquired about the burning of the South Market in Loikaw. None of our groups were near the market at the time. The fire was not caused by fighting but by artillery shelling. We suspect that shells were fired by the military council troops near KBZ Bank to set these houses on fire. So the fire in Loikaw’s Southern Market had nothing to do with our fighting or the troops and people in the market. It was a one-sided attack by the military council,” said Khun Be Du.
The military council carried out artillery shelling and air strikes in Loikaw during Operation 1111, causing destruction, according to local residents.
“Everything is gone – Naung Yar Church, Taung Kwe Pagoda, South Market, North Market. Everything has been damaged or destroyed,” said a displaced person in Loikaw.
Besides the Naung Yar Church in Loikaw, other religious buildings were also damaged. According to local residents, there were still some monks and a few displaced people in the Taung Kwe Pagoda, which was hit by heavy weapons.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times.