SAC airstrike on IDP camp in eastern Karenni State drives over 5,000 IDPs into Thailand

During the past two weeks, the SAC has launched airstrikes on civilian targets in northwest and eastern Karenni State, including a midnight air-raid on July 11 on Daw Noe Ku IDP camp near the Thai-Burma border, which killed one IDP, injured three others, and destroyed numerous buildings, including a learning centre and clinic – causing over 5,000 IDPs to flee into Thailand.

On July 4, at 2 am, SAC aircraft dropped bombs three times on an IDP camp in western Demawso township, injuring three family members, including a child aged two years and ten months, and damaging two school buildings and a hall.

For four consecutive days until July 5, SAC LIB 530 based in Loi Le Lay town, Loikaw township, fired artillery shells into and around Loi Le Lay. Mortars exploded in Lay Po Gyi and Nam Hu villages, damaging some houses.

On July 6, combined Karenni forces clashed with SAC troops who had set up an outpost in the former BGF 1004 battalion camp in Mese township. During the clash, the SAC launched airstrikes with five fighter jets.

On July 7, at 4:30 am, a SAC aircraft dropped a bomb on a village in western Pruso township, setting alight one house. On the same day, the KA and SAC clashed at Klaw Le Kaloe near BP no.10 on the Thai-Burma border, after which SAC aircraft bombed the area.

On July 9, at 9 pm, a SAC convoy carrying military supplies and rations into Pekhon township was ambushed by combined Karenni forces, who killed four SAC soldiers and seized some ammunition.

On July 11, at midnight, despite there being no clashes, the SAC carried out an airstrike on Kyot Su village in Mese township, killing an 11-year-old child, injuring two civilians, and damaging a Christian church and six houses. Early the next morning, at 1:30 am, SAC aircraft dropped four bombs on Daw Noe Ku IDP camp, near the Thai-Burma border, killing one man and injuring three other civilians. Moreover, the bombs damaged Seh Teh College learning center – including two classroom buildings, a kitchen, two boarding houses, a teacher’s house, a storage building and a generator building – as well as one clinic and six civilian houses. After the aerial attack, over 5,000 IDPs fled into Mae Hong Son province, Thailand. A 50-year-old woman, Htwar Meh, collapsed and died while fleeing.

In the morning of July 12, SAC troops travelling on a convoy from Moebye to Loikaw shot randomly at civilians, killing three people, including a 17-year-old boy.

On July 15, at 2 pm, a 12-year-old boy stepped on a land mine while farming in Pasaung township, and lost his right leg.

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