More than 3,000 residents of six villages are fleeing as the junta troops fire artillery shells into the villages in Brigade 3 of Nyaunglabybin District, which has the largest number of displaced people in KNU-held areas, the KNU reported on March 7.

On February 27 and 28, the regime troops stationed in the villages of Khin Kalang, Yaydwinkon, and Inn Pari on the west bank of the Sittaung River deliberately fired heavy weapons into Lainpinwe and Thithpayaungtan villages of Kyaukgyi Township in 3rd Brigade of the KNU’s Nyaunglaypin District on the east bank of the Sittaung River, the statement said.

Moreover, three houses of local people in Lainpinwe village were destroyed by fire due to the junta’s shelling.

In addition, on March 1, 2 and 3, KNU-controlled Kyaukgyi Township’s Thathpayaungtan and Hintharwe villages, the junta troops opened fire with mortar shells, damaging two more homes of Thathpayaungtan village.

The KNU also stated that 3,174 local people from six villages, including Kyeepinsu, Lainpinle, Lainpinwe, Thithpayaungtan, Wehmu, Kyisu, and Ale Gyun, have fled their homes.

The displaced people are taking refuge in the nearby safe places, villages, and relatives’ houses, and KNU’s Kyaukgyi Township officials have provided medicine and shelter for them, but there are still in need of further assistance.

In the 3rd Brigade of the KNU’s Nyaunglaybin District, there are more than 140,000 displaced people fleeing the junta’s operations and human rights violations, and they are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, according to a statement by the Karen Peace Network (KPSN).