May 23th, 2022
More than 2,000 villagers are displaced by the fighting between the military council and local People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) in Tanintharyi Township in Myeik District, according to locals.
On May 18th, the military council troops heading to Taku village were ambushed. On the following day, local PDFs attacked the military council troops advancing toward Kyauklonegyi village.
After the mine attack, the fighting continued. Currently, the military council troops have raided Inshaekone and Chaukeainsu villages in Taku village-tract, the villagers said.
A 35-year-old man from the middle Taku village said: “All the people from the village are taking shelter at the monastery and in the forests due to the constant firing of heavy and light weapons. No one is left in the village. It is raining.”
More than 2,000 locals from Thayabwain, Inshaekone, Chaukeainsu, Pyiaye, Takuthantike, Laminekaw, Ywaman and the middle Taku villages in Taku Station, have fled to safer places after the fighting, according to locals.
Due to incessant rains in Tanintharyi Township are in need of ration, medicine and shelters, villagers and the persons helping the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
At around 2.20 pm on May 18th, a combined force of local PDFs ambushed a military column advancing toward Taku village, at the entrance of the village in Zawae 9th mile Taungkyaw, an official of the Unbiased Guerrilla Force said.
There was an exchange of shootings for around 30 minutes after the ambush. Twenty-two soldiers were killed and at least ten others wounded in the mine attack and clash, he added.
At around 5.30 pm on May 19th, fighting took place between the military council troops advancing from Kyauklonegyi village and the Unbiased Guerrilla Force, near Taku village for around 30 minutes.
Four soldiers of the military council were injured in the fighting. But there was no report of casualties from the Unbiased Guerrilla Force, In the fighting, the military council troops carried out indiscriminate firing of heavy weapons into the villages. Heavy shelling destroyed two houses and a vehicle, a member of the Unbiased Guerrilla Force.
Since January this year, there have been frequent clashes between the military council troops and local PDFs in Taku village-tract. Since April 5th, the military council has banned the transport of foodstuff, rice and fuel citing that the PDFs are hiding in the villages, according to locals.
Sent by the NMG.
