The Mung Lai Hkyet IDP camp near Laiza, has been subjected to a devastating artillery strike killing 29 people. Laiza is the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO/KIA).The artillery attack occurred on October 9 around 11:30 p.m, killing 29 people and another 57 were injured.
KIO/KIA Information Officer Colonel Naw Bu related,” we know that 29 are dead and 57 individuals who have sustained injuries, totaling 86 people. We are unsure whether there will be additional casualties still to be discovered. Among the deceased, there are 11 children under 18 years old, and there are also children among the injured. We have yet to receive the exact list," he stated.
Local residents have stated that all the structures surrounding the Mung Lai Hkyet displacement camp were demolished as a result of the artillery attack. Colonel Naw Bu mentioned that rescue and relocation operations have been ongoing in the vicinity of Mung Lai Hkyet, which suffered a devastating artillery strike, since the early morning of October 10, and there is a possibility that the death toll may rise.
Colonel Naw Bu elaborated, "On the night of October 9, around 11:30 p.m., they fired artillery. It was a form of artillery that appeared to be delivered from aircraft or drones. Additionally, they employed the 120mm and 105mm artillery that they typically use. On that day, there were no direct face-to-face confrontations near that place, and no ground battles were taking place. They deliberately launched artillery attacks on the displaced people in this manner."
"It was akin to an airstrike, but we didn't hear the sound of jet fighters flying. It's conceivable that we didn't hear them due to our sleeping at night. The large bomb they dropped struck the displacement camp, landing right in the center of it. It hit an area where goods were stored, and had a significant impact on the entire environment," Colonel Naw Bu stated.
The displaced people from the Mung Lai Hkyet displacement camp are presently undergoing relocation to Laiza town, while local residents have reported that search and rescue operations have been ongoing throughout the day on October 10 in the vicinity of the artillery attack.
Major General Zaw Min Tun, the Junta’s spokesperson refuted the incident on the News of Myanmar Telegram channel.
"We are still examining the reports from Laiza. We have always tried to maintain peace and stability in the border region. We encourage you to consider the feasibility of conducting bombings and artillery fire in the middle of the night in this border area. The military has the ability to launch attacks on any headquarters. However, we have not conducted any such attack," stated Major General Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson of the Military Council, as he refuted the incident on the News of Myanmar Telegram channel.
The Kachin Human Rights Watch (KHRW) strongly condemned the attack on the Mung Lai Hkyet IDP camp, categorizing it as a deliberate assault on civilians by Military Council troops. They also urged for concrete measures against organizations and individuals who are backing the Military Council's acts of violence.
Similarly, the unprovoked assault, lacking any defensible reason, underscores the immediate necessity to protect vulnerable individuals in times of crisis, as stated by UNICEF Myanmar. UNICEF Myanmar emphasized that children and civilians should never be the targets and victims of terrorist attacks.
