Thousands of locals have fled their homes due to ongoing armed clashes between military council forces and resistance forces in the Ashae Taw area of Dawei Township in Tanintharyi Region, according to displaced people.
According to locals, there has been daily fighting since 16 February between a military council force of over 300 troops that entered the Ashae Taw area in Dawei and the joint force of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People’s Defense Force (PDF).
The fighting has displaced more than 3,000 residents from ten villages, including Wa Kone, Thin Gan Tone, Kyauk Me Taung, Ba Wa Pin, Leik Kyei Pyaung, Tha Yet Ngoke and Pa Khat villages, according to the displaced people.
Currently, the displaced are taking shelter in safer places such as orchards and forests and are in need of assistance, including food and shelter, the IDPs said.
The fighting between the two sides in the Ashae Taw area, which has been going on for over a week, has claimed nearly 30 lives on the military council side and seven lives on the resistance side, according to the joint resistance forces.
In addition, the joint resistance claimed to have destroyed seven military vehicles and seized weapons and ammunition during the fighting.
According to a report by local research group FE5 Tanintharyi, more than 44,000 people have been displaced in the Tanintharyi Region since the coup.
Sent by Than Lwin Times.