May 6th, 2022
More than 7,000 people displaced by fighting and conflicts in Bilin Township in Mon State are facing livelihood difficulties, according to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
On April 23rd, more than 7,000 locals from around ten villages fled to safer places as the military council troops fired heavy shells into the village in the territory controlled by the Brigade-1 under the Karen National Union (KNU).
A refugee said: “The people are hiding in the safer places due to the firing of heavy weapons into the village. Most of the people are hiding in the forests. They have livelihood difficulties. Their rations have dropped as they have been hiding in the forests for many days. They don’t dare to return to the villages to take rations due to the lack of safety.
Fighting took place after No.2 Battalion of the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) under the KNU called on the military to withdraw its troops from Lay Kay and Wintarpan outposts in Bilin Township not later than 23th April.
After the exchange of fighting, the military council fired heavy weapons into the villages. On April 23th, heavy shelling wounded a 14-year-old girl and a 66-year-old woman in DawZanGyi village.
The military council’s heavy shell destroyed at least eight houses, according to locals.
On May 1st, the military council conducted airstrikes on Lay Kay village twice, according to the KNU’s statement. The military council’s airstrikes burned down ten houses and a nunnery and damaged some houses.
Sent by the NMG.