Many people displaced by the battle for control of a town in Tigyaing Township, Sagaing Region, are now leaving the area due to prolonged displacement and continued livelihood challenges, according to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A resident from Tigyaing who fled to Mandalay said, “There’s no one left in town. Some people can’t even leave their homes — they’re starving. Due to the prolonged displacement, the displaced people are starving.”
The IDPs have been fleeing the town since early March, before the Sagaing earthquake. They are seeking refuge in Mandalay and surrounding areas where their relatives reside.
Although the joint force of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and local People’s Defense Force (PDF) launched an offensive to capture the town, they have not yet succeeded in fully taking control.
A person who fled from Tigyaing said, “They will do nothing in Tigyaing. They cannot approach the town. The situation remains unchanged. They will not take on Tigyaing. I think they don’t dare advance, as the junta drops bombs whenever fighting begins.”
All roads leading to Tigyaing town have been damaged since the fighting to capture it, and locals report facing unemployment and skyrocketing prices.
In addition, the IDPs say that there are fewer people to come to help them and that they are facing food shortages, which is why many are leaving the town.
They also reported that, due to these hardships, some prisoners held by local defense forces have escaped.
Currently, military council troops remain stationed at Tigyaing Bridge and in the town of Tigyaing, while all surrounding areas are controlled by the local defense forces.
Sent by Shanni Voice