Armed clashes continue to occur daily in Loikaw, Karenni (Kayah) State’s capital city, where “Operation 1111” is still ongoing. Amidst the artillery shelling, families who have been unable to flee the city are reportedly struggling to obtain food supplies.
The residents have been forced to stay in their homes, in part because they did not have money for transportation to flee the fighting and have had difficulty finding shelter. Larger families in particular are facing food shortages and greater hardships, according to residents who have remained in Loikaw city.
Daw Thida Win, a resident of Loikaw, said it costs at least 100,000 kyat per person for transportation to flee from Loikaw to other towns.
“You can only leave if you have the money. I have no money at the moment, so I can’t take my sons and daughters with me. We are scared of staying here, trembling as the artillery shells land right next to our place. Some ask us why we don’t leave. It’s not that we don’t want to; it’s that we can’t afford to,” said Daw Thida Win.
According to reports, some residents who fled to Shan State shortly after the start of “Operation 1111” have also returned to Loikaw.
U Toe, who returned to Loikaw after fleeing, said, “I don’t want to live here because the artillery shelling can be heard all the time.
To be honest, I have to live here against my will just because of the difficulties. We are really scared when artillery shells come. It is also scary when the drones come. Then we can’t sleep. When we hear these sounds at night, we just sit and watch.”
Most residents of Loikaw currently make a living by selling goods, collecting vegetables and firewood, and doing odd jobs for daily wage, residents said.
“In terms of livelihood, it is really difficult for them. It’s very difficult for me now too. We have nowhere to go. Even if we gather vegetables, the sellers don’t buy them anymore because sales are poor. When I cut firewood, there are no buyers. So we have to make do with the little we have. For rice, we have to buy a whole pyi of it at a time. This is not a problem for well-off people. Even for us, the cheapest rice is 4,000 kyat,” U Toe continued.
The residents who remain in Loikaw only move around within the city area they can access. Artillery shells land near their homes at times, causing security concerns, they report.
In Loikaw, where “Operation 1111” is still ongoing, clashes between the two sides continue on a daily basis, and the military council forces are increasingly using drones and incendiary bombs in their attacks, according to reports.
Sent by Kantarawaddy Times.