Nearly 100,000 individuals have been displaced in most areas of Kyaukphyu township, Rakhine State, as the Burmese military junta persists in attacking villages with heavy artillery amidst its conflict with the Arakan Army (AA), according to a social worker.

The conflict zone in Kyaukphyu township has grown larger, and the military is continuously using a range of weapons from land, sea, and air both day and night, causing nearly all residents to evacuate, he informed Narinjara.

“Now, the whole township is undergoing evacuation. The area of the battlefield has expanded. The military council is firing different weapons continuously, both in conflict zones and in areas where there is no fighting. Nearly the entire community is in the process of evacuation. We don’t know where to live, and we have nowhere to run," he stated.

From February to September, the number of displaced individuals in Kyaukphyu Township was around 50,000. It rose to almost 100,000 by October, he stated.

A local farmer indicated that residents are leaving their homes and farms behind and selling their animals at reduced prices.

“They are leaving with buffaloes and cows, trading them in the villages they pass through. There are no buyers, even at reduced prices. People are currently facing significant poverty, lacking employment opportunities,” he stated. 

A woman from Kyaukphyu stated that they are fleeing due to militant attacks on villages that are not engaged in the conflict, employing naval forces, local battalions from Kyaukphyu, fighter jets, drones, and paramotors.

“They were fired upon without justification. Even in areas without active fighting, they were pursued due to the belief that they were associated with AA,” she stated.

The conflict in Kyaukpyu Township and the surrounding areas, located up to 10 miles from the town, has been escalating between the junta forces and members of the AA.

Photo credit - CJ