From Jan. 1 to July 9, airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar Air Force have killed 33 civilians and injured 94 in Karenni State, according to the Interim Executive Council (IEC), a provisional government set up on June 12, 2023 by the Karenni State Consultative Council (KSCC) to administer areas under the control of Karenni resistance forces.
Of those killed, 15 were men, nine were women, seven were children, and seven others were unidentifiable, according to a statement by the IEC on July 9. Of the 94 people wounded, 16 were men, 10 were women, 13 were children and the gender of the remaining 55 people is unknown, the IEC added.
“Almost every part of the state is under constant threat, so people have become more or less aware of the danger. Communities have even built bomb shelters at the township and village levels. But the problem is, the junta often attacks at night while people are sleeping, or at completely unexpected times. On top of that, our warning system and preventive measures are still very weak. That’s why we deeply regret not being able to provide effective early warnings to fully protect our people,” said Banyar Aung, the IEC second secretary.
Following the indiscriminate bombing of military and civilian targets in Karenni, Banyar Aung called on the international community to urgently establish safe zones where civilians could shelter.
“We urgently need international pressure and support to establish safe zones and no-fly zones wherever possible to stop the junta’s bombing of civilian areas. Only that can truly protect the lives and property of the people,” added Banyar Aung.
Since January, artillery fire, drone strikes, and shootings have also killed a further 29 civilians and injured 114 more in Karenni, according to the IEC. Of the dead 18 were men, three were women, six were children and the gender of two victims was unknown.
The military has reportedly perpetrated war crimes against civilians in Karenni. These include the burning of homes, blocking supply routes to create shortages for the local population and launching military operations in residential areas, according to the IEC.
BNI
