An artillery attack on a camp in Myanmar that houses individuals who have been displaced has resulted in the deaths of at least 29 people, including children.
The camp is situated in close proximity to a military camp belonging to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an insurgent group that is fighting against the military Junta that rules the country.
According to a statement made to the BBC by a representative for the KIA, all of the victims were civilians.
Since the military overthrew the elected government of Myanmar in 2021, the country has been mired in violence and instability.
The National Unity Government (NUG), which is currently in exile, has placed blame on the Junta for the attack on the camp, which it has termed a “crime against humanity” and a “war crime.”
The BBC has reached out to members of the armed forces for comment.
Since taking control from the civilian administration, the military has significantly increased the number of times they have employed air attacks against their opponents.
Images that were distributed by the local media showed people pulling bodies from the wreckage of the building and dozens of body bags lying side by side.
The assault took place late on Monday night in the Mong Lai Khet Quarter, which is around three kilometers distant from the headquarters of the KIA, which are located in the town of Laiza.
Conflict has been present in the region for a significant amount of time.
On the other hand, residents of the area claim that there hasn’t been any fighting in the vicinity of the camp in recent months.
It is located in close proximity to the border with China and is home to a large number of residents who currently reside in internal displacement camps located in and around the town.
Even before the military takeover, the KIA was one of dozens of ethnic insurgent groups that had been fighting against the government for decades. The KIA is the largest of these factions.
According to information provided by Colonel Naw Bu of the KIA to the BBC, the most recent incident resulted in the injury of a total of 56 individuals, 44 of whom were subsequently transported to a medical facility for treatment.
More than sixty persons were killed in Antpa, which is located in Kachin State, when the military carried out airstrikes there in October of last year.
