Displaced Maese residents. /CJ
More than 3,000 residents of Kayah State’s Maese Town have fled to Mae Hong Son Province in northwest Thailand following an artillery attack on the town on Tuesday, according to volunteers helping the refugees and Thai media.
They need food, the volunteers said.
The refugees fled after Myanmar’s military shelled Maese Town late Tuesday, following intense clashes with allied resistance forces comprising the Karenni Army, Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, and People’s Defense Force.
The allied force attacked three junta bases in Maese Township and a police station in Maese Town on Tuesday.
The junta’s military responded by shelling Maese town, forcing its residents to flee across the border to Thailand.
They had no time to pack their belongings because the artillery attack was sudden and need emergency supplies, said Ko Banyar, the director of Karenni Human Rights Organization.
He estimated that about 3,400 residents of the town had fled to Thailand.
“They need food,” he said.
They were preceded by refugees from Demoso and Hpruso townships and, more recently, Bawlake Township, Ko Banyar said.
“There are not enough shelters [for them],” he added.
Mae Hong Son Province administrator Chettha Mosikkharat was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying Thai authorities are taking care of 3,342 people who have fled fighting in Maese.
A volunteer said: “Displaced people are currently accommodated in makeshift shelters. They need more assistance.”
Maese Town borders Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province.
Fierce clashes broke out as Karenni forces attempted to seize hill-top outposts from Myanmar military in Karenni State after the formation of Karenni State Interim Executive Council on June 6.
