Over 8,000 people affected by the conflict in Namkham and Muse Township urgently require humanitarian relief after fleeing clashes between State Administration Council (SAC) and Three Brotherhoods Alliance in northern Shan State.
“Villagers are struggling to survive in the displaced camps with limited food and medicine. Even if they have money, they are still unable to buy the things they need,” explained a man in Muse Township, who declined to provide his name. He said they’ll run out of food soon and hoped UN agencies like UNICEF will provide help for them soon.
After fighting started on October 27, sections of the Union Highway between China and Mandalay have been closed, preventing essential goods from reaching the two townships.
In Namkam town, where Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has been attacking Sankhan Thit camp outside of the town, the regime has been shelling for over two weeks. At least four males and four females were killed, and forty houses were damaged by the shelling in the town between December 1 to 16. According to TNLA, the junta has flown at least 250 airstrikes in the township.
A SAC airstrike killed three people in Kawng Nawng Mo, Ho Kart, and Nawng Sang wards in Namkham town. A Buddhist novice monk from Pannya Rama Buddhist Monastery and three people in Aung Mingalar Ward were also killed by an aircraft.
On December 5, SAC fired shells from Namphetka at TNLA soldiers near the regime’s camp outside of Namkham town, but two shells hit Loi Ohn village, injuring Loung Maung Than (50) and Loung Sam Moon (50).
The next day, a junta aircraft killed five people and injured four in Kart and Ho Ner villages in the township.
On December 11, airstrikes injured four in Aung Mingalar and Pauk Nay wards of Namkham town. And the next day, a man was killed and four people injured by an airstrike in Kawng Hser in the township. The following day, shelling landed in the Zayya Thukha Buddhist monastery, where over 300 people have sought shelter in Mo Kham Ward of Namkham town. The building was damaged, but miraculously no one was killed or injured.
According to TNLA’s information department, SAC air attacks, including artillery shelling, have damaged nine houses in Loi Ohn and seven in Pang Lawt villages. There have been four homes damaged in Mang Lon, three in Nam Seelee, three in Pang Sam, five in Nawng San, and ten in Pauk Nay wards. Altogether in the township, two-hundred homes have been destroyed since Three Brotherhoods Alliance launched its 1027 Operation, named after the date it began.
There are 3,646 people who are displaced in Namkham Township: 500 are staying at Kyaung Kham Buddhist monastery, 880 at Kon Hai Buddhist monastery (north), 922 at Kon Hai Buddhist monastery (south), 300 at Zayya Thukha Buddhist monastery, 114 in Mang Ner village, over 250 in Heart Hin village, more than 270 in Ho Hsai village, more than 70 in Nawng Khin village, 70 in Khur Khun village, and 236 in Mang Kon village.
In Muse Township, 5,521 have been uprooted by the violence: more than 1,000 are hiding in Ting Hein, Nawng Laung, Manhero, Mang Hawng Ton villages and Kan Weing Buddhist monastery (also called Myo Lel). There are 1693 people, including 115 Buddhist monks and novices, at Kawng Nawng Ward, 80 Buddhist monks at Kamma Htan and Namkhon Buddhist monasteries, over 70 at a Muslim mosque, more than 30 at a church, over 160 Gurkhas in Pauk Nay Ward, and more than 90 in Pang Hsai.
In Loi Ho Hsur area of Muse Township, there are 2828 people sheltering: 1069 in Mang Suan, 402 in Mang Aie Tai, 336 in Loi Moon, 133 in Nam Hee, 52 in Ner Lon, 200 in Nawng Suan, 110 in Mang Sang, 50 in Kon Kyein, 15 in Mang Huay, 62 in Mang Muom, 6 in Nawng Nat, 246 in Mang Weing Lon, 77 in Suan Hker and 70 in Hper Sang.
Residents of the town of Muse have reported seeing a SAC jet fighter circling last week, prompting fears the aircraft will bomb them.
TNLA has completely blocked the road from Muse to Namkam preventing any vehicles from passing since December 13.
