Burma Army (BA) jet fighters bombed two jungle areas in Indaw and Bamauk townships in Sagaing Region on Tuesday during the conflict against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).
An officer from the Indaw PDF said there was no fighting at the time and the BA probably assumed there were Kachin resistance fighters in the areas they bombed. “There are no villages there, so no one was injured in the air strikes,” he said. Four bombs were dropped between Ouk Taw and Pin Wai in Indaw Township and the same planes dropped two bombs near Poung Pyin in Bamauk Township.
The officer said that jet fighters also bombed along the Kauk Kwet River between Indaw and Katha townships, and Mang Hton village in Bamauk Township on 16, 20 and 21 November. Since phone and internet services have been suspended in areas of Sagaing Region where there’s conflict, it is difficult to get information about what is happening on the ground.
Nearly 200 miles south of Bamauk, over 20,000 civilians from Khin-U Township were forced to flee their homes after two BA columns entered the area since 18 November and burnt down 500 houses in 10 villages.
A man helping them said they need emergency aid. “It’s really cold at night because there’s cold air blowing from the north. These people need shelter and food. He said they are sleeping on plastic sheets on the ground. They need blankets and also medicine.” Many are elderly or children and some are already sick.
Junta soldiers reportedly murdered 6 civilians and two PDF fighters were killed during fighting. According to the Khin-U Township True News Information, the army killed over 200 civilians and burned over 2,500 houses in 55 villages in the township since last year’s coup.
Anyone wanting to donate to the villagers who were recently displaced by clashes can contact the Khin-U Dynamite and Khin-U Township True News Information Facebook pages.
