10-10-2023 (YANGON) numerous individuals, including women, children, and the elderly, have lost their lives in an artillery strike at a camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Myanmar’s Kachin State. These reports were confirmed by local media, an activist, and sources in the area.
At this stage, Reuters has been unable to independently verify these accounts, which have included images purportedly depicting the aftermath of the incident.
Myanmar has been grappling with extensive conflict in multiple regions of the nation. This unrest has arisen as ethnic minority armies, along with a resistance movement, engage in a battle against military rule and a severe crackdown initiated by the junta following a coup in 2021.
According to Kachin media and local sources, the incident occurred close to midnight on Monday, just a few kilometers from a military camp operated by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The KIA has been in conflict with Myanmar’s ruling military. However, the KIA has not been immediately accessible to provide confirmation of the reports.
The reports and accompanying images were shared on social media by a minister in Myanmar’s anti-junta shadow National Unity Government (NUG). The NUG has not yet responded to requests for confirmation.
Efforts to contact a spokesperson for Myanmar’s junta have proven unsuccessful.
Khon Ja, a prominent local activist associated with the Kachin Peace Network Civil society group, has provided insights into the situation. She told Reuters that she visited the local hospital, where she was informed that 29 individuals had lost their lives in the attack.
The devastating attack occurred at midnight, and its impact was profound, with the village entirely destroyed and erased from existence, Khon Ja stated. She reported, “Fifty-nine individuals are injured, with 29 confirmed dead, according to the hospital.”
Laiza, located in northern Myanmar, serves as the capital of KIA and is one of the largest ethnic groups among the many that have been engaged in battles with the military for decades. This town is situated near the Chinese border and is home to a substantial number of civilians residing in displacement camps both within and around the town.
