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Over 700 villagers flee indiscriminate Burma Army shelling during attack against SSPP/SSA in Hsipaw township

December 2nd, 2022  •  Author:   Shan Human Rights Foundation  •  2 minute read
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Update by the Shan Human Rights Foundation

December 2, 2022

Over 700 villagers fled indiscriminate shelling by the Burma Army during an attack against the ceasefire group, the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), in Hsipaw township, northern Shan State, on November 25, 2022.

About 80 Burma Army troops launched the attack at 6 am at Koong Sar village, which lies on the MandalayMuse highway about 10 kilometers east of Hsipaw town. The troops arrived in eleven trucks from the direction of Hsipaw town. Some troops were from Lashiobased Infantry Battalion 68, stationed at the Kho Long bridge, about three kilometers west of Koong Sar, and some were from Hsipawbased Infantry Battalion 23.

The attack targeted SSPP/SSA troops camping in Koong Sar during the Shan New Year celebrations. The two sides clashed for half an hour, during which the Burma Army fired shells indiscriminately into the village, damaging 14 houses, but fortunately causing no civilian injury.

Terrified by the fighting and shelling, about 700 villagers fled from their homes in Koong Sar and nearby villages. Some took shelter in village temples and churches, and some in temples in Hsipaw town.

The following numbers were displaced:

No. Place of shelter Households Total Over 18 Under 18
Population
1 Phoe Daw temple, Hsipaw town 117 350 170 180
2 Koong Sar village temple 73 224 148 76
3 Sop Lang village temple 91 166 133 33
4 Koong Sar village church 5 n/a n/a n/a
5 Mahasi temple, Hsipaw town 3 n/a n/a n/a
Total 289 740 + 451 + 289 +

After the fighting, the SSPP/SSA retreated from Koong Sar, but the Burma Army troops remained stationed in the village high school. By November 30, most of the displaced villagers had returned home. Some found their property had been ransacked by the Burma Army troops.

The following Koong Sar residents suffered damage to their houses from the shelling on November 25:

No. Name Damage from shelling
1 Nai San Hlu House damaged
2 Ba Mwe Sar Shell landed in front of house and damaged electric wire
3 U Saw Maung House, refrigerator and water pipe damaged
4 Ba San Mai Roof damaged
5 Nai Moin Kyar Roof damaged with multiple holes
6 Bu San Mat Roof damaged with multiple holes
7 Loong Seing Electric wire damaged
8 Ba Kyar Roofs of two buildings damaged
9 U Kyaw Thet Roof damaged
10 Loong Yee Roof damaged
11 Aye Yoi Seng Roof damaged
12 Ba Shew Seing Roof damaged
13 Loong Tun Sar House damaged
14 Ma Kywe House damaged


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