July 13th, 2022
It is reported that State Administration Council (SAC) soldiers threatened and shot three youths on a motorbike in Moe Lone ward in Loikaw Township, Karenni (Kayah) State on the afternoon of July 12th for refusing to stop.
In the incident, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the leg and had to be taken to hospital by locals.
“He’s not in critical condition. We took him to the hospital for treatment, but we don’t know what happened to him after that. It’s not worrying,” said a local who helped take the wounded man to the hospital.
Currently, military council soldiers in Loikaw are interrogate passersby in the wards every day and have fired at some motorbikes and vehicles that refused to stop on their orders.
In Loikaw, about 10 junta soldiers stand on the street corners in the wards and conduct both occasional and regular checks on people every day, said a local woman who herself affected by the interrogations.
“They’re perverted. They ask nonsensical questions and ask for phone numbers. They shuffle all the pictures in the phone gallery at will. Other motorbikes they just let go, but with me they kept trying to flirt,” the woman said.
On July 8th, regime soldiers fired at two men riding a motorcycle in Nar Nat Taw ward in Loikaw without even asking them any questions. The shooting killed a 29-year-old man and injured the other, locals reported.
“They went somewhere and were shot by the junta soldiers on their way back home in Nar Nat Taw ward. The uncle was taken to the hospital and the nephew died,” said a resident of the ward.
Recently, the situation in Loikaw has been worrying, with military council soldiers conducting interrogations and threatening and shooting people randomly on the streets, locals report.
“They used to shoot people who refused to stop at night under the martial law. But the situation has become so worrying that they shoot people even in broad daylight,” said a Loikaw resident.
Locals say travelers have to be careful as military council soldiers conduct strict checks at checkpoints inside and outside Loikaw.
According to a statement released by the Progressive Karenni People Force (PKPF) on July 1st, a total of 241 civilians were killed between February 1st, 2021 and June 30th, 2022 following the military coup.
Sent by the Kantarawaddy Times