Protesters have mobilised in support of the desperate residents of the Myanmar town of Mindat hit by clashes between the military and an anti-junta defence force/AFP

Desperate residents of a Myanmar town hit by clashes between the military and an anti-junta defence force pleaded for help Wednesday as the UN warned the fighting may have forced thousands to flee.

Government forces used artillery to flush out rebels from the western town of Mindat after fighting broke out on 12 May, a spokesman for a local insurgent group said, and later cut off its water supply.

One resident who did not want to be named told AFP that most of those who had been trapped in the town by the fighting had now fled, but those left behind faced a grim struggle for basic supplies.

“All the people rely on a government pipe for their water supply… in these conditions we have to stop washing if we want to be able to cook,” the resident told AFP.

The fighting around Mindat between the Chinland Defence Force and the Myanmar military has likely displaced “thousands” of civilians, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Tuesday.

“Access by humanitarian partners to the people fleeing violence or those still in their homes is challenging due to insecurity,” it said, adding it had received reports civilians had been killed in the fighting.

“We have been constantly helping the people from the town to relocate to the remote villages,” another resident told AFP.

“They need… a safe zone recognised by international organisations like the UN.”

Myanmar has been in uproar since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a February 1 coup, triggering a massive uprising which authorities have sought to quell with lethal force.

Some in the anti-junta movement have set up local militias armed with homemade weapons to protect their towns from security forces — which have killed more than 800 people according to a local monitoring group.

A CDF spokesman, who declined to be named, told AFP that fighters had set fire to several army trucks, destroying them, and ambushed reinforcement troops during the fighting in Mindat.

Photos released later by the group purported to show weapons and trucks seized from the military in an ambush.

With mobile data blocked across the country, details about the fighting have been slow to come out, and on-the-ground verification is made harder as locals are fearful of retaliation.

— AFP

Subscribe
Notify of
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

SDP chief Chee Soon Juan criticises PAP ministers’ high salaries in contrast with elderly Singaporeans not having enough to live off, slams PAP MP Lee Bee Wah’s “Ah Kong” analogy

The secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Chee Soon Juan has…

Women rally in Pakistan after legal challenges

Women in Pakistan defy authorities to hold rallies in support of the Aurat March, calling for greater safety and security for women in the country. The marches, which have courted controversy due to their advocacy for women’s rights on issues like sexual harassment and menstruation, have faced opposition from city officials and hardline Islamist groups. Despite this, women continue to march in increasing numbers each year to demand their rights and justice.

Online petition calls for Committee of Inquiry (COI) to investigate Ridout Road saga

The recent Ridout Road saga, involving properties occupied by Cabinet Ministers, has raised concerns among Singaporeans. The ongoing independent review led by a colleague of the ministers has been criticized for lacking independence and credibility. The Workers’ Party has raised parliamentary questions and called for a clearer explanation. An online petition has been initiated, urging the government to establish a Committee of Inquiry (COI) composed of opposition members and/or retired high court judges to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. Netizens highlight the need for government accountability, transparency, and the inclusion of independent members in the COI.

SDP: Singaporeans will question PAP’s mandate if GE is tilted further in its favour

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) issued a statement on Monday (8 June),…