Civilians fleeing artillery strikes by the Burma Army (BA) and fighting between the regime and the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) in Kanpetlet Township are in desperate need of food and medicine.
According to the Red Cross Association (RCA), 1,000 people from Sammatha, San Ein Nue and Hketaw Makya are hiding in the jungle after the BA fought with CDF and People Defence Forces from Yaw and Saw near their villages.
Since 11 March, BA soldiers from three columns have attacked CDF, who were forced to withdraw from their headquarters last week after being overwhelmed by hundreds of troops. During the clash, the BA’s artillery battalion in Kyauk Htu shelled the resistance and surrounding villages, killing a 40-year-old male civilian and destroying nine houses.
According to a statement from CDF they’re “outgunned” and don’t have enough weapons and ammunition to repel BA attacks. ”Another reason why we’ve withdrawn from our brigade headquarters is to avoid civilian casualties in the surrounding villages,” the statement said. Fighting between the groups is still taking place on a daily basis.
A local RCA worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said civilians began fleeing their homes as soon as clashes broke out in Kanpetlet Township. ”All were afraid to continue living in their villages after BA fired artillery. He said about 400 of the civilians were elderly people, children and women.
Two pregnant women suffered miscarriages while fleeing the violence. Some of the children and babies have colds or diarrhoea and need vitamins and rehydration salts to recover, volunteers said.