Thousands of residents flee junta raid in eastern Bago Region

By Admin 03 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
3 March 2023, Mone, Bago Region

Regime soldiers entered and fired mortar shells into Nyaungpintha Village, Mone Township, in Bago Region and forced nearly all residents to flee on February 28 and March 1.

A 150-strong military contingent from the military’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 351 and LIB No. 599 opened fire into the village, said a resident of Nyaungpintha Village.

“Around 150 junta soldiers from Kyaukkyi Township were deployed to Nyaungpintha Village. Almost all locals have fled to safer locations as the junta soldiers opened fire into the village,” the resident told DMG.

At least three homes were destroyed by the junta shelling and nearly 4,300 locals forced to flee the junta raids are reportedly in need of relief supplies.

“Almost all residents were forced to flee by the junta raid and more than 4,200 locals are currently hiding in the jungle. We need tarpaulins to build makeshift tents for the displaced people,” an aid worker said.

Around 200 junta soldiers were deployed to Mone Township and the Nyaungpintha villagers are still hiding in the forest as military tensions between the military and a coalition led by Brigade 3 of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of Karen National Union (KNU), are running high in the area.