An artillery strike on a camp accommodating displaced people in Myanmar resulted in the death of at least 29 individuals, children among them. This camp is strategically situated near a Kachin Independence Army (KIA) military base, a rebel group actively opposing Myanmar’s dominant military junta.
According to a KIA representative, the casualties were all non-combatant civilians. Myanmar has been navigating a complex conflict landscape since the military coup in 2021, which ousted the civilian-led government.
The National Unity Government (NUG), currently in exile, has pointed fingers at the Junta for the camp assault, labeling it a severe “war crime and crime against humanity”. The military, known for leveraging airstrikes as a tactic against its adversaries since their rise to power, has yet to provide a response regarding the incident.
Local media outlets have broadcasted harrowing images depicting the aftermath, showcasing the retrieval of bodies from the debris alongside numerous body bags placed adjacently.
The strike, occurring late on Monday, transpired in the Mong Lai Khet Quarter. Notably, this location is a mere two miles from Laiza, which houses the primary headquarters of the KIA.
While the vicinity has a long history of conflict, inhabitants claim that recent times have witnessed a lull, with no notable skirmishes near the camp.
The affected region, adjacent to the Chinese boundary, shelters a significant number of civilians. Many of these individuals reside in displacement camps scattered around the town of Laiza.
The KIA, among the most substantial in a list of ethnic insurgent factions, has been in conflict with the military for years, a strife predating the coup.
In a related incident last October, military-initiated airstrikes in Anampa, located in Kachin State, led to the tragic death of over 60 individuals.
