Some residents who had been displaced by armed clashes in the surrounding areas of Khampat in Tamu Township, Sagaing Region, have returned to their homes, according to local residents.
Fighting between the Myanmar army and the People’s Defense Forces (PDF) in Khampat, located on Kale-Tamu Road, displaced residents of entire villages near Khampat on 22 July, including residents of the town, according to locals.
A local who had returned from the displacement said many of the residents had now returned home after the PDF informed them on 2 August that they could return to their homes so they could start farming again during the planting season.
“When we were away, there was a lot of theft in the city. There were mostly burglaries and thefts. Now the fighting has calmed down. Since many of us have not planted rice yet, the residents asked the defense forces to allow them time to plant rice. Therefore, the defense forces especially asked the men to return home. We returned home today together with our children. Not everyone has returned yet. But most of them have,” he said.
During the absence of the residents of Khampat, thieves roamed the town and many houses and shops were broken into. However, the exact amount of loss is not yet known, according to a resident whose shop was broken into.
“When we came back, we found that many houses had been broken into. Our mobile phone service store was one of them. They ransacked the entire store. They took everything I had kept for sale. My laptop was also missing. I haven’t checked everything yet though,” he said.
The military council bombed Khampat for two consecutive days after fighting broke out in the town between the Myanmar army and the PDF on 22 July, forcing all residents of the town to seek safety in Kale and Tamu, while some even reached the India-Myanmar border, according to residents.
According to residents, the junta army set fire to 15 civilian houses in Khampat’s Ward (1) as they fled the war.
Sent by KMG.