Some residents of Sinni told RFA today that around 1,300 refugees sheltering in Sinni township are facing food shortages due to the fighting between the Military Council Army and the MNDAA Kokant forces in Sinni township in northern Shan State.
"I have been drinking boiled rice for the past four days. There is a situation where I can only hold on for another five days. When it came to going to get food, the army did not ask me to go and get it for security reasons. I can't move to another place because it's happening like this," said a resident who did not want to be named for security reasons.
He said that when the fighting started, the refugees had to collect the leftover rice that had been donated by volunteers and eat boiled rice.
Since the beginning of the 1027 operation of the three northern twin groups, Sinni town has been controlled by the MNDAA forces, and the bridge between Sinni town and Shalakham village has also been destroyed by mines.
On the other side of the city, near the school village, there are other battalions besides the military council's 16th battalion, and they are fighting with the MNDAA forces almost every day, the local said.
When the fighting started, there were more than 3,000 refugees in the monastery, and most of them fled to places close to Lashio because the monastery was heavily damaged during the fighting, said a local who fled.
Until the 13th of this month, the military allowed the people living in the monastery to travel to other places, but later, for security reasons, the refugees were restricted from moving again, another resident said.
"We were freed because we left the police, but our families stayed behind. I live in a monastery, but there are only troops next to it, so bombs fall every now and then. A man was also killed by a large weapon. Now the rest of us can't leave at all. I'm running out of food.
Those who remain in the monastery are steep enough new village It is said that he is from Nam Hu Taung village.
RFA reached out to U Khun Thein Maung, Shan State Spokesperson for the Economy Minister of the Military Council, regarding the lack of food for the refugees in Sinni Kyalkham Village, but he did not receive an answer.
On November 23rd until yesterday, Panke village near the military council camps in Chinni Township. The fighting continues near the school village, and hundreds of local residents are still fleeing to cities close to Lashio, said people helping refugees.
More than 300,000 refugees across the country
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) announced on November 23 yesterday that more than three hundred thousand (335,000) people were displaced from their homes from October 26 to November 22 due to the intensification of fighting throughout the country.
Especially the northern part of Shan State. Rakhine state Chin State It is said that fighting is intense in Sagaing and Mandalay regions.
The statement stated that fighting between revolutionary forces, including ethnic armed groups, and the Myanmar military continues in various parts of the country.
"Difficulties for living, Food difficulties, During the time when I was not able to return to the village, there were difficulties like this.
UN OCHA's statement on October 17th stated that since the military takeover, there are nearly 1.7 million people who have fled their homes across the country, adding the number before that to almost two million. UN OCHA's statement yesterday also stated that the number of people who have fled their homes across the country has increased to over two million.
Rakhine state He said that since the middle of November, more than 20,000 people have fled their homes due to the ongoing fighting in Paktaw Township.
Recently, a refugee who fled from Phongtaw Township said that they are facing various problems.
"Difficulties for living, Food difficulties, Of course, there are difficulties encountered during the period of not returning to the village. I don't know when to go back. If there is no fight, they always shoot big weapons. Villages are shot. They shot the harvesters. Nothing can go. I can't do it. A lot of difficulties"
He said that because the roads were blocked, there was also a shortage of food.
The military council said the road in Rakhine State, including the Yangon-Sittwa road, The UN OCHA statement on November 17 stated that all waterways have been restricted, as well as the movement of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
According to the list of the Military Council, nearly sixty-seven thousand war refugees are still taking refuge in various refugee camps due to the fighting in Rakhine State, and according to UN OCHA's additional number of refugees, there are nearly 100,000 war refugees in Rakhine State.
Rakhine state On November 16, 2023, seeing war refugees fleeing the battle between the Rakhine Army (AA) and the Military Council Army in Paktaw. (Photo: Citizen Journalist)
Rakhine state On November 16, 2023, seeing war refugees fleeing the battle between the Rakhine Army (AA) and the Military Council Army in Paktaw. (Photo: Citizen Journalist)
On October 27, when the three northern twin groups started Operation 1027, Nung Cho, Stone black Lashio, Cindy, Kut Khaing Muse Namkham, Cudgel, Chin Shwe Ha, In cities such as Laok Kai, the fighting between the Military Council Army and the Northern Three Sisters is fierce almost every day.
A war-torn refugee from the city of Sinni, who is fleeing the war due to the fighting, said that he is having difficulty living and is in need of medicine.
"We are currently putting up small tents. If it was raining, the other day the tent was torn apart and the rain poured down and I had to sit in the rain all night long. Another thing is that when people are busy, when they are stuck together, when someone coughs, If you have a runny nose, it's because of the flu, it's contagious. So we need medicine."
He also said that he wants to return to his own village as soon as possible.
Since the end of October, along with the 1027 operation of the three twin alliances in northern Shan State, fighting has been going on in various places, including Rakhine State, Chin State, and Sagaing Division, and the number of people who have fled their homes is gradually increasing.
Lee Tiger Win, a spokesperson for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), which is part of the three twin alliances, told RFA that they are helping refugees as far as they can and finding ways to reach inaccessible areas as much as possible.
"Regarding these fleeing refugees, we are providing support as much as we can. Some places are still conducting operations, and we are looking for the best possible routes to inaccessible places."
During the operation, the three northern brothers, Nung Cho, Muse In addition to cutting off and controlling the main Union Road in Laok Kai, the Military Council has issued a night curfew for eight townships in northern Shan State, which have declared martial law, since November 15.
A person who is helping war refugees said that he wants both sides to give permission to those who need emergency help in such a situation.
"They have run out of food. Then there is no security. There are also mine-hit patients. I'm there every day. There are also dead people, so we are worried. But we are not in a position to go ahead. We are sad about that. Because what we want to do is if we post something, we want them to allow it."
In particular, he said, he wants the military council to allow aid measures for war refugees.
According to a statement by UN OCHA, the main transportation routes in the townships where the fighting is taking place are blocked by both the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups.
Therefore, it not only limits the movement of people to safe places, but also affects the right of humanitarian movement.
RFA contacted General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson of the Military Council, regarding the rising number of people fleeing their homes in various parts of the country due to the fighting, but he did not receive an answer.