Military shelling kills civilian, injures two others in Kayah State town

By DMG 03 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
3 June 2022, Loikaw, Kayah State 

A local was killed and two others were wounded on Thursday when the Myanmar military fired artillery shells into villages near Loilemlay, a town on the Shan-Kayah states border, according to a local source. 

A Myanmar military contingent stormed the villages of Lingphongyi and Kone Hmigon in Loilemlay Township on the morning of June 2, opening fire on locals, said a resident who asked for anonymity. 

“Myanmar military troops entered the village early morning on June 2, opening at least 20 heavy artillery fires. Residents were injured and one of them is said to be in critical condition,” the unnamed resident added. 

A man and two women from Kone Hmigon village were wounded in the shelling and the man was later pronounced dead, said a health worker helping the internally displaced people (IDPs). 

“The injured women are being treated at a clinic in the displacement camp. One of the women’s injuries are life-threatening,” the health worker added. 

Clashes broke out between the Myanmar military and a combined squad of Karenni Army (KA) and Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) near the two villages at about 5 p.m. on June 2, according to a KNDF source. 

“Fighting erupted when a 100-strong military contingent from Light Infantry Battalion No. 503 stormed the two villages. The junta forces fired more than 30 artillery shells into the villages after the clash,” said a member of the KNDF coalition forces. 

As a result of the clashes, more than 1,000 people from the two villages were forced to flee to nearby mountains and into Shan State, according to aid workers.