Locals from Phalu region in southern part of Myawaddy fled to Thailand on the morning of December 24 as heavy weapons attack continued in the area.

Hundreds of villages flee from their homes from Min Let Pan, and Ingyin Myaing villages crossing Thaungyin Rivere from the danger of successive explosions of heavy weapons sources said.

“People from my village have already fled to Thailand. The explosions can be heard till now. My family and I are still in our house, sheltering at the bomb shelter dug near my house.  Last night, I heard the sound of airplanes and explosions. When we prepared to run from our house, we heard the explosion and so we had to run into the bomb shelter again,” said a local from Ingyin Myaing village.

Since December 15, clashes between KNLA, an ethnic armed group and joint forces under KNU and military began. It lasted for six days. On December 21 to 23, clashes stopped temporarily and in the evening of December 23, clashes started again. As a result, locals have to flee from their homes to Thailand overnight. 

More than 10,000 locals have to flee from 17 villages as clashes continued in Lay Kay Kaw area. There are about 6,000 displaced people in Thailand according to sources from Thailand. In the early hours of December 24, heavy weapon from Myanmar military exploded in Thailand according to news from Thailand. But, there are no causalities, it said.