Six civilians in Ywar Thit Town, situated in the Bawlakhe District of Karenni State, were shot dead by Military Council troops, according to local residents.
‘A resident of Ywar Thit Town shared with Kantarawaddy Times, "The military has fatally shot six individuals from Ywar Thit Town. They have also taken control of several locations within the town. On June 28, five people were initially detained but subsequently released. Tragically, four people lost their lives on June 27, and two more were killed on June 29, near the monastery where residents reside. These individuals were targeted and shot for attempting to leave the monastery. It is possible that the actual number of victims exceeds six. Even individuals returning from farming have been subject to gunfire. We can verify that six people have been tragically shot and killed."
Residents residing in Ywar Thit Town have reported that four individuals were shot dead on June 27, and an additional two individuals were shot dead on June 29. The victims who were shot are local residents of Ywar Thit, and it is said that they were shot because they had left the monastery where they were seeking refuge.
According to the villagers, the Military Council troops entered the monastery, where the villagers were taking shelter, twice a day and conducted inspections. They had been granted permission to leave the monastery for only two days.
On June 25, at approximately 6:00 pm, the Military Council carried out airstrikes near Ywar Thit Town.
According to local residents, there is currently no fighting taking place in Ywar Thit Town. However they have mentioned that there are some skirmishes occurring in the surrounding areas. "The situation in the town is currently calm, but there is a significant presence of troops conducting inspections. It is estimated that there are possibly hundreds of soldiers. Thankfully it seems that there won't be any fighting within the town. However what worries me is the potential risk of being forced into serving as porters or used as human shields," the local continued.
In addition, a resident of Ywar Thit Town disclosed that approximately 500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been forced to leave their homes once again and are currently seeking refuge elsewhere. This displacement occurred as a result of the fighting that occurred near Ywar Thit Town on June 26-27.
The local IDPs also emphasized that due to the ongoing rainy season, there is a critical need for adequate shelter and food provisions for the affected individuals.
