A local woman sustained severe injuries and underwent a surgical procedure to amputate both of her hands, after being struck by an artillery shell fired from a military vessel in the Ayeyarwady River between Tigyaing and Katha.
On May 31st, approximately 200 troops from the Military Council arrived at the border of Tigyaing and Katha, using the Ayeyarwady River waterway as their route. They proceeded to indiscriminately launch artillery strikes towards the shore. Tragically this unprovoked attack resulted in a local woman losing both of her hands, while the residents of 10 villages were compelled to flee their homes for safety.
"Three naval vessels made their way from Tigyaing to Katha, and one of them unleashed indiscriminate fire, tragically striking a woman in Katha. The impact resulted in the amputation of both her arms at the elbows. Additionally, residents from the surrounding villages are now seeking refuge, fearing for their safety”, a local told KNG.
The shelling attack victim was a 36-year-old woman who resided in Lower Thanpayarkone village in Katha Township.
Eyewitnesses reported that without any apparent reason, the three Junta gun-boats sailing along the Ayeyarwady River towards Katha Township, launched an artillery attacks on all the villages situated along the riverbanks.
As a consequence, residents from Tetkya, Yaykan, Koete, Wegyi, Kanni, Kyaukmhaw, Natinn, Inntamut, Nyaungchayhtauk, and Thanpayar villages, which are situated along the Ayeyarwady River between Tigyaing and Katha, are currently evacuating to ensure their safety.
In March, a fierce clash took place between the resistance joint forces and the Military Council between Tigyaing and Katha. Following two months of relative calm and absence of military activities, the operations of the Military Council resumed on May 31st.
The Military Council's troops, comprising 13 trucks, initially departed from Tigyaing and proceeded towards Katha via Junta’s . The presence of these troops has been perceived as a threat, leading to the evacuation of residents from multiple nearby villages, according to a local resistance fighter.
"I have recently received reports that the Military Council troops are currently conducting raids in the Inn village of Katha, which is located near the Tigyaing border. When these soldiers invade, it has become a common practice for the villagers to flee for safety. It seems that the soldiers are less likely to harm women. However men of all ages are prone to facing trouble caused by the troops. Due to this, the villages do not even dare to leave the elderly behind and have resorted to carrying them along during their evacuation”, he said.
The resistance 1st Battalion of Katha District issued a warning on May 19th, advising residents to remain vigilant and prepare for potential evacuation in response to the renewed operational activities of the Military Council.
The section of Ayeyarwady River near the border of Sagaing Region and Kachin State is witnessing frequent clashes between the Military Council and the local defense forces. These clashes have led to shelling attacks causing casualties among the residents and livestock, as well as the destruction of a number of houses in the villages along the riverbanks.
