There is a growing fear among locals as the military council’s 317-Artillery Battalion based in Ye Township of Mon State, is firing heavy shells.
“On 4 and 5 November, the military council’s Artillery 317- Artillery Battalion fired at least six rounds of heavy shells into the villages near the territory controlled by the New Mon State Party (NMSP). Three heavy shells landed in the plantations in Kaingtaw and Natkyauk. The shell which landed in Natkyauk almost hit a person. I heard the news that a heavy shell landed in Walpaung,” a local said.
Heavy shells fired by the military council have landed and exploded in the plantations near Walpaung, Kyonelaung, Kaingtaw and Nattaung villages which are close to the NMSP’s controlled-territories, local residents said.
“Now the people of the village are very scared. As soon as they hear the news that the Burmese soldiers enter the village, they run away and hide. They don’t know whether the news is right or wrong. Although the heavy shelling doesn’t result in civilian casualties and home damages, locals are scared,” a local from Yitchaung said.
Due to the military council’s shelling, locals don’t dare to go to the plantations and rubber plantations. Some of them are moving to other areas because they are worried that fighting will occur.
On 20 October, there was a clash between the military council force and the joint People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) in Kyonelaung village in Ye Township, killing one civilian and wounding one.
The military outposts based in Ye Township where martial law is imposed, are frequently firing heavy shells into the villages. The shelling resulted in civilian deaths and wounds, according to local residents.
In a meeting with regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on 16 October after the 8th Anniversary of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), the NMSP called on him to maintain the military council’s firing of heavy shells.
Sent by IMNA