By Kantarawaddy Times
Troops from the Burma army have been firing on boats that are rescuing civilians attempting to flee from the escalating conflict in Pekon town.
“They attack the rescue boats” with machine gunners from their hilltop camp, a local source said. Two boats were struck with gunfire, he said, and fortunately, no one was injured.
A consortium of resistance forces has been trying to force out Burma army troops in the southern Shan State town where there’s been constant fighting since January 7. The groups are trying to seize several important regime camps situated outside of Pekon.
There are reports of junta soldiers shooting at civilians for trying to leave the town as wells as shelling and airstrikes on civilian quarters. According to Col Phone Naing, adjutant general of Karenni Army, a Karenni armed group fighting with the military regime from January 7-9, there were 18 airstrikes in Pekon, and 30 regime shells struck the town.
Locals say the airstrikes mainly affected Zayshay and Heinma wards.
