Over 3,000 civilians have fled to the Indian border to escape the fierce fighting between the Tamu People’s Defence Force (PDF) and the Burma army in Khampat, located in Sagaing Region.
According to a man knowledgeable about the situation, the armed groups have been clashing in the town in Tamu District since 22 July, and the violence has impacted residents as well as some of the outlying villages like Kanan.
“The seniors and sick persons were sent to a safer place in two vehicles around 11 am on Sunday. I think all people left the town except for the volunteers,” he said.
On Saturday, the clashes started at around 8 pm after the PDF attacked a regime military camp in Ward 1 of the town.
According to the PDF, at least 13 junta soldiers were killed and one of their own. The resistance said they killed two enemy soldiers in a paddy field outside of town on 23 July and seized some ammunition.
The regime retaliated by shelling the area indiscriminately. A 23-year-old male civilian was killed by a shell that landed in front of the Roman Catholic Church in Ward 1.
On July 26, the Military Council sent in an airship to bomb the town and the surrounding area for 45 minutes. “The combat helicopter flew over the town at least 10 times, attacking Ward 1, the PDF camp, and indiscriminately bombing Kanan,” man said.
Currently, the PDF is ambushing reinforcement troops transported to Khampat by junta airships and expects the fighting to escalate in the area.