The military destroyed 50 houses in Demawso Township in Karenni State during a three-day rampage in several villages in which soldiers broke into villagers’ houses to steal things and then torched them, or the army shelled the houses from a distance.

According to Banyar, the director of Karenni Human Rights Organisation, Tatmadaw soldiers torched 35 houses in Kong Tha and Thay Hsule villages and shelled 15 houses from 23 to 26 September.

The Burma Army (BA) killed a man over 70 years old in his home for no reason, Banyar said. The soldiers opened fire on a vehicle carrying civilians fleeing from Kong Tha to Thay Hsule. A body was later discovered in the wreckage of the burnt-out vehicle.

”They’re committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in our Karenni state,” he told Kantarawaddy Times.

Fighting between BA and Karenni resistance groups began in May. In Demawso Township, clashes between the military and combined groups of Karenni Army and Karenni Nationalities Defence Force are occurring daily, driving more and more civilians from their homes.

Since the coup eight months ago, over 130,000 people have been displaced in Karenni State and Pekhon Township in southern Shan State. BA has destroyed many houses and churches in its offensives.

The army is attacking anyone who tries to bring food, medicine and other supplies to the internally displaced persons camps, and some in the eastern townships only have food for less than two weeks.