Aid workers report many restrictions prevent them from delivering food to over 20,000 war-displaced individuals, seeking refuge in Pinlaung, Shan State, amid ongoing conflicts in Karenni State.

Currently seeking refuge in Pinlaung, displaced individuals are facing severe food shortages as Military Council checkpoints prohibit the passage of any vehicles carrying food in or out.

"Routes remain closed, and cars transporting food are strictly prohibited, causing numerous hardships for displaced individuals, including issues with accommodation and clothing. However the most urgent concern at the moment is the food shortage, with some individuals even facing the threat of starvation”, a humanitarian worker told Kantarawaddy Times.

The Junta’s checkpoints are the main obstruction to the transportation of food to the Karenni State side, where resistance forces are strong. At the same time this causes problems to deliver food to displaced individuals seeking shelter in Pinlaung.

At present, essential food supplies for the temporarily sheltered displaced individuals in Pinlaung are being transported through challenging jungle routes. However, the quantity that can be transported falls significantly short of the demand, aid workers said.

Initially, some of the war-displaced individuals who reached Pinlaung had brought food with them, but over time their supplies began are now depleted. "The primary necessities include basic food items like rice, oil, and salt, with some managing to bring them along. However, over time, these supplies dwindled, and acquiring new ones proved very hard. The current fuel shortages in the market further exacerbate the situation”, a war-displaced woman from Thitkaut village told Kantarawaddy Times.

Currently, Pinlaung is providing shelter to over 20,000 refugees hailing from more than 30 villages.