Thousands of IDPs in Mon State’s Kyaikto Twsp in need of food, medicine and shelter

By DMG 27 Jul 2022

DMG Newsroom
27 July 2022, Kyaikto, Mon State

More than 4,000 locals in Kyaikto Township, Mon State, have been fleeing since July 9 due to artillery shellings by junta troops, and the displaced people are in need of food, medicine, and shelter, according to aid workers.

The Myanmar military’s Theinzayat-based artillery regiment fired multiple artillery shells into six villages in Kyaikto Township, a territory controlled by Brigade 1 of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), from July 9-19, destroying some homes and forcing thousands of locals to hide in nearby forests.

“The Myanmar military’s artillery battalion in Theinzayat town opened heavy weapons fire on three villages 10 days in a row. Some homes were destroyed in the shelling and over 4,000 were forced to flee,” an aid worker said.

Local aid groups are furnishing the displaced people with food, medicines and shelter, but assistance for the IDPs is still needed.

“We are helping the displaced people as much as we can. However, we are unable to provide as much assistance as is needed because of the large number of displaced people. The displaced people are in need of shelter, medicine and food,” said another aid worker.

Locals in Theinzayat are worried about the possibility of clashes as regime troops have been stationed near the Moppalin-Theinzayat junction since July 11 and are frequently firing heavy weapons into the nearby villages.

“A large number of junta soldiers have been deployed near the Moppalin-Theinzayat junction. We are concerned about the possibility of a clash as the junta troops frequently fire artillery shells into nearby villages,” said a resident of Theinzayat town.

DMG was unable to obtain comment from regime spokesman Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun about reports of junta troops’ shelling of residential areas.