December 15th, 2021
Around 400 people are taking shelter in nearby villages as fighting has erupted in the Lay Kay Kaw new town which is under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU), according to locals.
A local who declined to be named said: “Locals have fled to safer places. Currently, the number of IDPs is around 400. We have to take shelter in Takalu and Lalwarkhee villages close to the Lay Kay Kaw. They (the junta’s troops) entered Lay Kay Kaw. Fighting erupted at Ward No.3 and No.6 at around 10.30 am. At present, there is the exchange of firing of heavy weapons. Fighting continues till now.”
The junta’s troops are firing heavy weapons into No.3 and No.6 wards in Lay Kay Kaw. Fighting may intensify as the military council is deploying more troops in Lay Kay Kaw, according to locals.
On December 14th, the military council’s troops entered Lay Kay Kaw and arrested more than 13 persons including a MP. Fighting erupted on December 15th as the military council’s troops entered the new town.
“The military council’s troops entered the town and made inspections as they assumed that there may be the members of the People’s Defense Force (PDFs). The town is under the control of the KNU. Fighting erupts due to the military tensions between the two groups,” the local continued.
Those living in Lay Kay Kaw new town are: the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the refugee camps such as Umphiem, Nu Po and Mae La, the IDPs from Phalu region, families from the members of the Karen Armed Revolutionary Organizations and families of the migrant workers from Phuphaya and Mae Sot in Thailand.
The Lay Kay Kaw new town project was implemented after the state-and union-level agreements were signed between the KNU and the government led by former President U Thein Sein. The project was funded by the government and the Nippon Foundation.
The new town was built for the IDPs who had been taking shelter in the refugee camps in Thailand for many years. There are 786 households and over 3,000 populations in the town, according to the officials of the IDP camps.
Sent by the NMG.