An artillery shell fired by the Military Council at around 9:30 PM on November 9, hit a house in a village in the Western Kayan region of Karenni State, injuring 4 people.
A local said “There were 4 injuries in total.They were injured in the belly, shoulder, limbs and other body parts. The artillery round fell directly on the house. There were 2 children sleeping in the house when the shell hit it. One child got a few injuries on the hand, neck and shoulder but nothing serious. Another child was unharmed. The roof of the house was blown off, and one side of the house wall completely collapsed. The house suffered heavy damage”.
Among the injured, a 56-year-old man was in serious condition after being hit in the abdomen. A 45-year-old woman, an 80-year-old elderly woman and a 10-year-old child suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Locals estimate that the shell was fired from Pekon Township by a long-range artillery unit. And some suggested that the type of the ammunition could be 120 mm.
Another artillery shell landed outside the village that day, causing no damage.
As this was the first experience of an artillery shell falling into the village, the locals were very frightened and some temporarily fled to safe places.
“A shell fell about 2 miles outside the village about a month ago. But it was the first time that it fell straight into the village. The villagers were very startled. We have never experienced anything like this before. We all are panicking now”, a villager said.
Locals complained that the Military Council should not conduct such artillery fire in non-combat areas. It is said that some people fleeing the war and a conflict area, were taking refuge in the village where the artillery shell fell.
In a previous attack on November 1, four civilians including a pregnant woman, were injured when artillery shells hit Linphongyi and Wanpan villages in Loikaw Township.
