By Kantarawaddy Times
The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the eastern part of Loikaw Township, Karenni State, has increased due to fighting in the past week. Additionally, some villagers living near the Balu Chaung River have been forced to relocate due to flooding.
A humanitarian aid worker told Kantarawaddy Times that the majority of the newly arrived IDPs are fleeing the recent fighting, while a smaller number are displaced by the floods.
“There are indeed more IDPs arriving. Since last week, the number of new arrivals has increased. This increase is mainly due to the ongoing fighting in eastern Loikaw along Aung Thapyae Road. When SAC troops reinforced in that area, the IDPs who had been sheltering along Aung Thapyae Road were forced to relocate again. However, there aren’t many arrivals due to the flooding,” the aid worker said.
On July 23, following a military offensive by junta forces in some villages in eastern Loikaw, this military operation forced villagers to flee, leading to an increase in the IDP population.
Aid workers state that the increased number of IDPs has led to a greater demand for food aid.
The rainy season is making transportation routes difficult, and combined with the junta’s military offensives, it has become harder to deliver necessary food supplies to the IDP camps, the aid worker added.
“The main issue with the routes is the rainy season, making transportation difficult. Additionally, the military continues their offensives. They are also blocking the routes we use. So, all the pathways for delivering food supplies to the IDP camps are blocked. It has become much harder to provide aid,” the aid worker explained.
Currently, the exact number of new IDP arrivals is still unknown. In references, the latest figures from June reported over 10,000 IDPs in the eastern part of Loikaw Township, according to aid workers.
