Thousands of residents of six villages in Kyaikto Township, Mon State, were reportedly forced to flee to safety after the military council’s 310th Artillery Battalion, based in Theinzayat, and junta troops stationed near the Kimpun base camp fired indiscriminate artillery fire.
Locals reported that regime troops shelled the villages of Takaychaung, Hngetpyawtaw, Zigon, Padauk, Chanmyae, and Karawayseik with artillery at around 9 pm on 21 March.
After the artillery shells hit and exploded in Hngetpyawtaw and Karawayseik villages, residents of the neighboring villages had to flee their homes overnight, according to some displaced people.
“They have been shooting on and off since 4 pm. They fired artillery from 9 pm until midnight continuously,” said one displaced person.
At present, the displaced are in urgent need of food, medicine and emergency shelter, locals said.
In addition, about 100 regime troops have reportedly advanced to the eastern side of Kimpun Base Camp.
On 21 March, a joint force of the Thaton People’s Defense Force (TPDF) and Karen resistance fighters attacked the 44th Light Infantry Division with drones at around 10 am, after which regime troops shelled the village of Hngetpyawtaw with artillery.
Also, on 20 March, two men were killed and a pregnant woman was wounded when artillery shells from military council troops hit a house in Karawayseik village.
Sent by IMNA.