Locals have fled to safer places as the military council is firing heavy shells after a clash with the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) in Swama village-tract in Yedashe Township of Bago Region, according to local news sources.
On 17 March, there was a battle between the Taungoo District PDF and the military council troops which advanced to Swama village and Ywathit village in the village-tract.
Then, the military council troops based in Swa fired heavy shells into the villages in Yedashe Township on the east of Sittaung River, according to the Bago Region PDF which usually uploads the news about the battles in Bago Region on 23 March.
The Northern Thandaung Defense Force (NTDF) is active in the conflict-affected area. Due to the military council’s artillery shelling, locals from the village-tracts which have around 600 households on the eastern bank of Sittaung River have fled to safer places, U Moke Sake, information officer of the NTDF.
“Locals don’t dare to return home as the military council is firing heavy shells till night. They are still taking shelter in safer places. No casualties were reported although heavy shells landed in Ywathit village. However, the artillery shell destroyed buildings,” he told the Karen Information Center (KIC).
Due to the battles in Yedashe Township, some locals have fled to northern Thandaung. Now, there are around 3,000 IDPs who are taking shelter in northern Thandaung. The IDPs are in need of medicine and foodstuff, the persons helping the IDPs said.
The NTDF issued a letter dated 23 March via social media, warning the locals to be cautious as the military council is firing heavy shells into the villages in the eastern bank of Sittaung River every day.
On 17 March, at least 10 junta soldiers were killed and three PDF members wounded in the battle between the military council and the PDFs, according to the PDF members.
Nant Hsan Htee (KIC)