September 15th, 2022
People displaced by fighting in Mobye Township in Karenni (Kayah) State have said they are currently in need of emergency food assistance.
Tensions remain high in the area following fighting between junta forces and the combined forces of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) in Moebye Township.
“Many houses were damaged [during the fighting]. Some people came to escape the fighting, but some had to flee while working on their farms. The fighting has broken out again, and it has been going on for four days in a row now. They cannot return to their homes and have great difficulty getting food and shelter because they had to flee immediately to neighboring villages when the fighting broke out,” said one of the displaced residents.
In the battle of Moebye, the junta launched air and artillery attacks, damaging more than 100 houses in the downtown area. Residents have had to flee to Loikaw and other neighboring areas for safety and are now struggling to get food and shelter, said Ko Banya of the Karenni Human Rights Group.
“According to current information, six civilians were injured and a seven-year-old child was killed. They estimate that 700 residents have been forced to flee to safety. Tensions between the two sides in Moebye remain somewhat high. We have heard that residents are being asked to clear out their belongings. So we are not sure how the situation will develop. If the situation continues like this, the number of people fleeing the fighting could rise to tens of thousands. Already, almost all wards in the town and in the outskirts are affected by the fighting. That’s all we can confirm so far,” he said.
A woman who fled the fighting said that Moebye residents were forced to abandon their agricultural work and flee to safer places due to the fierce fighting, so they could not return to their homes as the fighting has been going on for days.
“I would like the relevant organizations to provide some food aid to us who are fleeing the war in Karenni State, because we are out of reach for some groups. Some groups are working on it, but some people are still without help. It is also difficult for them to fund their aid for everyone. If there are donors, I would like to ask them to donate some more food for the people who are fleeing the fighting,” she said.
According to the Karenni Human Rights Group, there are an estimated 200,000 internally displaced persons in Karenni State and more than 300 civilian deaths as a result of the post-coup armed conflict.
Sent by MNA.