Due to the regime’s daily and nightly reconnaissance flights, which often precede deadly airstrikes, more than 5,000 villagers living south of Kawkareik have been forced to relocate from  their home villages.

“For various reasons, some of them cannot leave their homes, so they work near their village in the morning and sleep in the monastery at night”, but most people have wandered from village to village to escape the air raids, a volunteer providing them with food said on condition of anonymity.

Many have ended up in Long Kai, Phar Kya, Thamein Dut, Win Ka, Thone Sat Thone Su, An Kaung and Thari Thakaung villages in Kawkareik Township, Dooplaya District.

In November, the regime has stepped up artillery shelling, reconnaissance flights, airstrikes and ground offensives against the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in their 6th Brigade area in Karen State.

“During the day we are afraid of fighting and at night we gather to sleep in monasteries, rubber

plantations and durian orchards. With bridges and roads still blocked, we are starting to run out offood,” a villager also requesting anonymity told KIC.

Roads between Kawkareik, Kyainseikgyi and Payathonzu have been blocked by the military and Border Guard Forces, preventing food, medicines and other staples from reaching displaced people affected by the conflict.

Fighting between regime troops and the KNLA and Kawthoolei Army has intensified in the southern regions of Kawkareik, Wawlay-Ka Ne Lay south of Myawaddy, Kyainseikgyi and Payathonzu.