More than 500 people were forced to flee their homes due to heavy artillery fire as a military convoy passed through villages on the Dawei-Htee Khee road in Tanintharyi Region on July 6.

The residents of Thingagon and Wakone villages fled their homes when more than a dozen military trucks heading to Htee Khee on the Myanmar-Thai border were attacked by anti-regime forces.

“Fourteen military trucks bound for Htee Khee were attacked by the anti-coup fighters along the road. In response to the anti-regime group’s attack, the Myanmar military fired at least 20 artillery shells into the village,” said a resident of Wakone village who declined to be named for security reasons.

Some homes in Thingagon village were destroyed by artillery fire, according to locals.

“The Myanmar military unleashed heavy weapons fire into the village multiple times. The military convoy was reportedly heading to Htee Khee from Dawei. Now I am fleeing as my home was hit by an artillery shell,” said a resident of Thingagon village.

The military council has not released any information about the hostilities along the Dawei-Htee Khee road.

The internally displaced people (IDPs) are hiding in nearby forests and are being provided with food and clothing by local relief groups.

From June through the first week of July, fighting between regime forces and a coalition led by Brigade 4 of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) in Tanintharyi Region’s Dawei Township has added another 10,000 IDPs to the ranks of those displaced, according to aid workers in Dawei.