Residents and displaced people from NoKo village area, located in the western part of Loikaw Township in Karenni State, have been fleeing for safety due to concerns over a potential military offensive by junta forces.

Since the third week of November, displaced people have been moving to where they believe to be safer. Meanwhile, ongoing battles in nearby Moebye and fears of airstrikes and artillery attacks on civilian areas have increased tensions.

“We heard they [the junta] might launch an offensive, either to DeeMawHso or Moebye. If they come from Moebye, it would cut off the route [between Moebye and Demoso townships]. If they attack from that direction, we’d be completely trapped. There’s only one bridge in Moebye. If that route is gone, there’s no way out. That’s why we had to leave,” said a female IDP in Thayetpin village.

She kept explain that she initially fled from Loikaw to Thayetpin village with her child during the operation 1111. Now, they are forced to flee again due to the fears of attacks.

The current wave of displacement includes villagers from eight villages in the NoKo area as well as displaced people who had previously fled to there.

Many have moved their essential belongings to safer locations as a precaution, such as rice and other vital supplies.

“People moved the most important items first. Those with vehicles have already transported their things. If the roads are blocked, it’ll be impossible to move anything. Those with a lot of rice sometimes sold it off, while others just moved what they could,” said a local resident.

As the harvest season just ended, they have been scrambling to find places to store the harvested rice, according to rice mill owners.

Residents from Pekinkawkhu and Warikawhhu which are located on the route from Moebye to Loikaw also fled to safer places.

On November 8, a junta artillery attack on NoKo village, killed four people, including a 10-year-old child. Since then, fears of further shelling have forced more residents to flee their homes.