Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who fled to other bank of Sittaung River due to the military council’s airstrike on 22 October from Nanza village-tract in Kyauk Ta Ga Township in Nyaunglebin District in Bago Region, Brigade-3 of Karen National Union (KNU) are facing difficulty in the availability of food ration due to road closures.
On the afternoon of 22 October, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) combined force carried out ambush and drone attacks on the military column near Phoeta village in Nanza village-tract. In response, the military council conducted airstrikes, and the military camps based in Pein Za Loke and Natthankwin fired heavy shells. It resulted in the displacement of people from more than six villages including Phoeta village.
“The joint force helped the IDPs to cross the Sittaung River. However, they face difficulty in delivering rations to the villagers on the other bank of the river, who have to rely on the water route and forest route due to the road closures,” a local man from Kyaukkyi Township said.
“We have to use forest roads as the roads are closed following fighting. We have to hire porters to carry goods. We help the IDPs crossing the river as much as we can. The emergency team is unable to reach everywhere at once. If we wait until they arrive, the people who normally eat three meals a day will starve,” the local resident said.
Tension mounts as not only the military council but also the KNLA joint force are carrying out deployments in Ananbaw village close to Phoeta village, according to the ground news sources.
A local resident said: “The military council is unable to conduct offensives as the revolutionary forces are stationed there. Now both armed forces have reinforced their troops. At present, there are no clashes. The military doesn’t dare to advance. Fighting will occur when the military advances.”
The military council may suffer heavy casualties in the incident which took place on 22 October, according to the person close to the Karen National Union (KNU). Artillery shelling destroyed houses and buildings. However, whether the residents were harmed and the details of the incident are still being confirmed.
Likewise, the military council has not released any information about that airstrike.
Fighting has intensified in the eastern part of Bago Region after the PDFs declared that they would step up military activities in Bago Region in late July. There are more than 200,00 IDPs in Nyaunglebin District of the KNU, according to the data collected by the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN).
Sent by KIC.
