More than 50 civilians killed in junta’s airstrikes in Karen State, KHRG says

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The military council’s airstrikes have killed more than 50 civilians and wounded at least 100 locals in Karen State since the coup, according to the statement released by the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) on 12 April.

The statement condemned the junta’s airstrike which killed 50 locals in Pazigyi village in Kanbalu Township of Sagaing Region on 11 April.

During the coup, the military council increased its airstrikes on civilian targets.

There were at least 155 airstrikes in Karen State, killing more than 50 civilians and wounding more than 100 others, according to the KHRG’s statement.

Saw Nanda Sue, Spokesperson of the KHRG said: “The military council is committing international crimes. Because the military council has been bravely committing severe human rights violations without respecting international laws, since the coup. More than 50 people who were killed in the attacks are civilians. It is difficult to say how many women and children are included in the list.”

In the first week of April, fighting between the military council and revolutionary forces intensified in the Karen National Union (KNU)-controlled Hpa-An District and Dupalaryar District.

More and more locals have to flee to safer places due to the military council’s shelling and airstrikes, according to the statement.

“During one or two months, the number of IDPs reached around 600,000 in Karen State. For the IDPs, our KHRG is playing our role through cooperation of the Karen Emergency Relief Team,” said Saw Nanda Su.

In its statement, the KHRG calls on international community to mainly impose sanctions on the military officers and the supply of aviation fuel to the military council, cut the major sources of inform from oil and natural gas and provide more financial aid to local organizations and the CSOs which are providing humanitarian aid to the IDPs.

The KHRG also urges the international community to help the current investigation work and the plan to charge the military council in conformity with the international law and to seek other opportunities to enable the military council to be held accountable for the crimes committed on purpose.

On 31 January, the KHRG issued a statement welcoming the complaint filed by Fortify Rights and 16 individual complainants from Myanmar in Germany on 20 January, under universal jurisdiction against senior Myanmar military officials and others for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Sent by Nant Hsan Htee (KIC)

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