Junta bombardments forces Palawtapo IDPs to relocate urgently

Junta's drone-dropped bombs and artillery shells hit areas around the Palawtapo IDP camp in Phalu, south of Myawaddy near the Thailand border in Karen State, forcing residents to urgently dismantle their camp and relocate, camp officials said.

On March 14, a junta kamikaze drone landed near the Palawtapo camp. Since then, artillery and drone strikes have continued in the surrounding area, leaving residents too fearful to remain in the camp.

“The junta was trying to attack Kasawwahlay and was firing artillery indiscriminately, so shells were landing all around the camp. Drones were dropping bombs as well. The IDPs couldn’t stay there anymore, so they took down their tents and evacuated quickly,” a camp official told KIC.

However, some families are still unable to relocate for various reasons. At night, they are too afraid to sleep in the camp and instead spend the night in temporary tents along the Thaungyin (Moei) River.

Sources in Karen State reported that the junta is currently deploying troops to Mehtawthalay, Myittarlinmyaing, and Letkhattaung villages in Myawaddy Township, as well as to the hilltop artillery outpost in Lay Kay Kaw Town, where they are clashing with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)-led resistance coalition.

The KNLA continues to control the routes connecting Minletpan and Hpalu villages in Myawaddy Township and is steadfastly resisting the junta's attempts to advance.

“The junta is trying to push towards Letkhattaung and Sweitawkone, using artillery and drone strikes to support its ground troops. When the regime forces get stuck and can’t move forward, they call in airstrikes. They’re still trying to advance along both the main road and the jungle routes through the mountains,” a fighter from the KNLA-led coalition said.

The junta is launching a fierce offensive to retake control of villages and towns including Hpalu, Lay Kay Kaw, Kyaukkhat, Sonseemyaing, Thaybawboe, Ukarit Hta, and Wawlay, according to resistance sources.

It has also increasingly targeted areas hosting notorious telecom scam hubs in Myawaddy Township amid ongoing clashes with the KNLA, threatening the security of the nearby Palawtapo IDP camp.

The camp previously hosted 4,236 IDPs who fled from around a dozen villages and Lay Kay Kaw Town. It is located near the Thaungyin River, which is a natural border between Myanmar and Thailand.