News

Villagers In Waingmaw Township Flee Burma Army Shelling

Three villages fled shelling by the Burma Army (BA) in Waingmaw Township as the military continued its indiscriminate attacks on civilians in the township in northern Burma.

“We can not sleep at night because we are afraid. Shells landed in our village and we can hear rifle fire every evening,” a woman from La Ban told KNG.

The family ran to Waingmaw town, where they are staying with their relatives. Other villagers are also staying with family in the town or at religious buildings.

“No one is staying in our village because BA is firing artillery every night…Shelling has damaged some homes, and we are concerned everything will be destroyed by fire. We have no idea when we can return. As long as the army continues its shelling, it is impossible to go home,” she said.

BA Infantry Battalion 58 shells destroyed at least six homes and killed livestock in the three villages.

The woman told KNG her village headman went to IB-58 to ask them to stop the attacks, but they refused to listen to him.

Col Naw Bu, Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) spokesperson, said its military arm, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), did not attack IB-58. He said BA is attacking villagers out of fear of KIA. The ethnic armed organisation has ambushed Tatmadaw positions in Kachin State several times in the last two weeks, resulting in multiple BA fatalities.

The other villages affected by the artillery attacks are Ma Dein and Tang Bawng.

Related Articles

Back to top button