CNI News

17 May 2024

Most IDPs from Loikaw have not been able to go home according to the security condition, a Loikaw IDP told CNI News. 

It was impossible for 80 percent of Loikaw IDPs to go home and their houses and motorcycles were also burnt and damaged, he said.

" It's impossible for us to enter Liokaw because battles are breaking out every so often. In my opinion, it's not safe to enter Loikaw. Those who lived in the wards, downtown area don't come back. Even if one side decisively won the other side, how can they go home because their housed are no more. The houses had been burned down. Some of the people who lived in the outskirts of the city went back. Some of the who went home has returned because the battles were breaking out." said a Loikaw IDP.

While seeing the KNDF Force

Because the battles stop, if IDPs go home, the mines have not been cleared. No one will take responsibility for civilian casualties caused by mines, he added. After Karenni evolutionary forces launched Operation-1111, battles severely broke out in Loikaw and residents of the city fled to safety.

In the operation are included the Karenni Army (KA), the Karenni National Defense force (KNDF), the Karenni National People's Liberation Front (KNPLF), the Demoso People's Defense Force (DMO-PDF), the Loikaw PDF, the Mobye PDF, the Pekon PDF Battalion 1006, the Urban Revolutionary Front (URF) and Southern Shan State PDF reportedly.

Although IDPs have fled to safety for nearly six months, they have not been able to go home up to now, a resident of Loikaw told CNI News.

While seeing the IDPs

" We have left Loikaw for about six months to flee fighting. We can't enter Loikaw up to now." he said.

One side has not decisively won the other side to capture Loikaw up to now and battles only are breaking out, according to locals.

Nearly 40,000 residents of Loikaw had to flee to Pinlaung, Sesai, Nyaung Shwe and Taunggyi in southern Shan State because of battles.