Children Among Dead in Myanmar Camp Attack

Artillery strike on Myanmar camp kills 29, including children.
Camp in KIO-controlled area; part of ongoing Kachin conflict.
Increased military attacks linked to Kachin support for anti-junta groups.

An artillery strike on a displaced persons camp near the Chinese border in north-east Myanmar has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 29 lives, including children.

The camp is situated in an area controlled by the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO), one of several ethnic insurgent groups advocating for self-rule for decades.

All the victims were civilians, according to a KIO spokesperson who spoke to the BBC. This incident ranks among the deadliest in the ongoing 63-year conflict in Kachin State.

Kachin officials assert that the armed forces have escalated attacks on KIO-administered regions over the past year due to increasing Kachin support for other insurgent groups opposing the military government.

Much of Myanmar has been embroiled in a broader civil war since a military coup in 2021 displaced the country’s elected government.

The military has been increasingly resorting to air strikes against towns and villages controlled by opposition forces since seizing power.

The exiled National Unity Government (NUG) has held the junta responsible for the camp attack, condemning it as a “war crime and crime against humanity.”

However, Junta spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun denied the military’s involvement, claiming that the army does not operate in that area and suggesting that stockpiled explosives might be responsible for the destruction.

Local media shared images of rescue efforts, showing bodies being recovered from the debris, and numerous body bags lined up.

The attack, which occurred late on Monday night, targeted the Mong Lai Khet camp for displaced persons located on the outskirts of Laiza, a town near the Chinese border and the headquarters of the KIO.

KIO officials informed the BBC that powerful explosions destroyed parts of the camp at around midnight.

Footage of the aftermath depicted numerous houses severely damaged or obliterated, along with a significant number of casualties.

Kachin officials believe that among the fatalities, there are at least 11 children. In addition to the lives lost, 56 more people sustained injuries in this recent attack, with 44 of them requiring hospitalization for treatment.

The United Nations in Myanmar expressed profound concern over the reports of fatalities in the camp.

“IDP camps are places of refuge, and civilians, no matter where they are, should never be a target,” it said in a statement on Facebook.

The region surrounding the camp has been a hotspot for conflict for many years, with Kachin troops positioned in trenches near the front lines, facing off against government forces.

However, locals in the area report that there hasn’t been any recent fighting near the camp, raising the possibility that the attack was carried out from the air.

Almost precisely one year ago, the Myanmar Air Force utilized precision-guided bombs to strike an open-air concert at another Kachin base during the night, resulting in the tragic death of over 80 people.

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed wing of the KIO, ranks among Myanmar’s largest and most formidable insurgent groups.

It has engaged in sporadic conflict with the central government since 1960, with continuous hostilities since a ceasefire broke down in 2011.

Following the military coup in Myanmar, the military government has considered the KIA a significant threat, as it has been providing weapons and training to emerging insurgent groups across the country opposing military rule.

The KIA also maintains a long-standing alliance with the Arakan Army, an insurgent group initially formed in Kachin State.

However, since 2016, it has been active in Rakhine State on the opposite side of the country, where it has effectively challenged the military’s control over a significant portion of the territory.

Also Read

Poland’s Top Army Brass Resigns Days Before Election

Top Polish military officials resign ahead of crucial election and amid Ukraine...

To stay informed about current events, please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BOLUrduNews/.
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/bolnewsurdu01 and stay updated with the latest news.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/3Tv8a3P to watch news from Pakistan and around the world.

Children Among Dead in Myanmar Camp Attack

Web Desk

Articles