3 May 2021
Locals say that four locals, including one child, died and many are injured during the fighting in Momauk, Kachin State, between military troops and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on May 3.
Since this morning around 8 AM, fighting intensified near Konlaw village, Myo Thit, Momauk Township. Locals said that some villagers died and many injured because of the explosion of heavy artillery within village.
“Certainly! Heavy artillery fell on the village this morning 10 AM. Fighting began since this early morning. That artillery fell on the village monastery and then nine people were injured. One monk and nine people who were hiding in the downstairs of the monastery were injured. Until now, a monk, a woman, an elderly man and a child died,” said one local from Momauk.
Concerning the fall of heavy artillery in Konlaw village, one local anonymous recounted, “We are not sure where that heavy artillery came from. We are not sure whether military plane had used or not. Everyone is hiding at that time. This artillery fell on the space near the gate of monastery compound. One monk and nine people who were hiding in the downstairs of the monastery were injured. That monk has already passed away.”
Locals narrated that in that morning there were gunshots and explosion of heavy or small weapons even in the Konlaw village. Consequently, whilst the villagers were hiding in the bomb shelters and in the downstairs of monastery, one heavy artillery was exploded in front of the Konlaw monastery.
“Until now, we have already brought three corpses, including the corpse of monk, from military hospital. Now they are preparing for funeral. They died in the military hospital. When we carried the injured people immediately after the explosion, they were not dead yet. Now we are taking the corpses. Injured persons are treated in the military hospital, Bhamo,” said a responsible person of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) party (Momauk), who added that the injured persons were brought in spite of the gunfire in Konlaw village.
“The injured persons were brought in spite of the gunfire in village and carried from Momauk to Bhamo with monastery’s car. No villager was dare to come out of the village since the heavy and small artillery were constantly bombarding within the village. We tried hard to bring the injured person even in this tough situation because those injured ones were in the emergency condition. However, since we could not forward with funeral car, we waited on mid-way and brought them back.”
Locals say that people are still hiding as the fighting are intensifying within the village and in the place where the plane crashed this morning.
Lieutenant-Colonel Naw Buu, the KIO Information Officer, reported that fighting between military troops and KIA has been intensifying in Momauk township since April and the military increased their forces and rations in Bhamo and Momauk townships since mid-April.
Sent by NMG