In a harrowing development, a military strike on a camp for displaced individuals in northern Myanmar has resulted in the loss of 29 lives and left dozens injured. These grievous events unfolded in the backdrop of Myanmar’s junta facing severe allegations of launching multiple brutal attacks on civilian targets as they grapple with resistance following their coup in 2021.
The recent assault occurred late at night, approximately at 11:30 pm on Monday, as reported by Colonel Naw Bu, a spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which holds sway over the region. He painfully revealed, “We found 29 lifeless bodies, including children and elderly individuals, with 56 more sustaining injuries.” Authorities are diligently investigating the nature of the strike that befell the camp.
Notably, no sounds of aircraft were heard during the incident, prompting inquiries into the possibility of military employment of drones to target the camp situated near Laiza, a town adjoining the Chinese border. Local media disseminated images portraying the aftermath of the strike, illustrating rescuers’ arduous efforts, illuminated by torchlight, to retrieve bodies from the debris of wooden structures.
The distressing visuals revealed at least ten lifeless bodies laid out on makeshift arrangements of towels and tarpaulins upon the ground. Colonel Naw Bu further disclosed that 42 wounded individuals are currently under medical care at a hospital in the vicinity of Laiza, located within the Kachin state. In response to these reports, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun conveyed that the military is in the process of conducting an “investigation.”
However, Zaw Min Tun put forth an alternative narrative, positing that the explosion may have been triggered by a cache of rebel-owned explosives in the area. It is important to note that concrete evidence was not presented in support of this assertion.
The United Nations office in Myanmar expressed deep concern over reports of civilian casualties resulting from the strike. In an official statement, the UN emphasized the sanctity of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps as places of refuge and underlined that civilians, regardless of their location, should never be targeted.
By AFP
