Thousands of locals from wards and nearby villages in Waingmaw have been displaced by the intense fighting in Waingmaw Township in Kachin State, locals said.
A displaced Wuyang local from Waingmaw said, “Yesterday and today, most of the people from Waingmaw town have fled. Some locals have fled to their relatives in Myitkyina. Some others are fleeing to the places where the border guard force is active. The existing IDPs from Waingmaw have to flee again.”
The fighting has displaced locals from more than 20 villages. Almost all people from Mading, Hkakun, Wuyang, Muk Chyik, Lamyan, Namwar, Labang and Warshawng on Chipwi-Sadon road, Hkatshu, Makhanti, Naunghee, Sankar, Tarmahkan, Khantlon and Mongmaw on the bank of Ayeyarwaddy River and Garyaryan, Kazu, Shwenyaungbin, Aung Myay-1 and Aung Myay-2, Inlay, Naungsipaw and Hkarshi villages on the road to Bhamo, have fled.
“It can be said that almost all villagers have fled. No one is left in my village. However, some people remain in the village to guard their houses. The people have fled their villages for fear that the situation will become worse if the junta’s Light Infantry Battalion- 321 camp. Yesterday, the shelling killed children in Hkatshu. They have fled as they are afraid,” said a Waingmaw local.
The fighting again displaced the IDPs from Lamyan and Muk Chyik, who had been taking shelter in Waingmaw due to the fighting in March and the IDPs, who had been taking shelter in Waingmaw for a decade due to the fighting in 2011, said locals from Waingmaw.
In addition to airstrikes, the military council is constantly shelling the place where fighting is intense, via Waingmaw IB-58, Wuyang militia camp, Myitmyina Kyatpaungchan, Lelkone Pawo၀ monastery and the northern command. The heavy shells fired by the two armed groups consecutively landed and exploded in Waingmaw Township, locals said.
On 20 March, the junta’s artillery shelling killed six civilians and wounded 11 others in Hkatshu village. On 19 March, a local woman from Lamyan was also hit and killed by shelling.
On 20 May alone, a heavy shell landed and exploded near the IDP camp in Mongnar village in Waingmaw. So, the IDPs are preparing to flee the camp in fear, locals said.
The Waingmaw fighting which began on 21 May has entered its 4th day. Fighting has intensified as the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is preparing to capture LIB-321 in Shwenyaungbin, locals said.
If the KIA can capture the junta’s Shwenyaungbin camp, the fighting may spread to Waningmaw. As a result, locals from downtown Waingmaw also are fleeing in fear.
Sent by KNG.