Around 1,000 locals have fled their homes due to the ongoing fighting in the eastern side of Ye Township, Mon State, forcing five schools closed and more than 400 students are unable to attend school, according to local residents.

Since January 8, fighting has been going on between the Tatmadaw and allied armed groups in the old village of Kyone Long and surrounding villages in the east of Ye Township and residents of villages such as such as Kyone Long, Kyaung Ywar, Kyauk Mi Chaung, Wae Paung and Wae Zin villages have to leave the entire village and run away.

"We have been fleeing the war since last January 7. Armed groups came towards the old Kyone Long Village. No one dares to live in the villages anymore, and the war is coming to Ye city," said a local of Kyone Long Village.

The local continued to say that although the current living conditions and food are comfortable, they are worried that their properties will be destroyed as they fled the war.

In addition, the local people from the villages where the fighting is taking place have fled to Dharmapala Village, which is an area controlled by the New Mon State Party. Many women and children are involved, according to a press release from the Mon Relief and Development Center (MRDC), which is affiliated with the New Mon State Party, on January 12.

We were able to enumerate 409 displaced people who had fled from Kyone Long Village and Kyauk Mi Chaung and Wae Paung villlages. Mon Relief and Development Center (MRDC) said that in addition to rice, cooking oil, canned fish and food, health care and necessary medicines were provided.

In addition to this, due to the fighting going on in the old village of Kyone Long in Ye Township and the surrounding areas, two primary schools from Kyone Long and Kyauk Mi Chaung villages and three Mon primary schools in Wae Zin, Dharmapala and Wae Paung villages will be closed starting January 10.

As a result of that fight, more than 400 students from these schools along with their parents are fleeing from the war. According to a teacher from Mon primary school, the teachers are also fleeing.

Due to the fighting near the villages and explosion of heavy weapons in the villages, the schools were closed because the students, along with their parents, had to leave their homes to flee the war, a teacher at Mon primary school said.

"The fighting is going on, the teachers can't stay either. That's why the schools were closed," she continued.

The end-of-year class exams will be held in February. Parents and school officials are also concerned that the students' education will be affected.