October 10, 2024

WEEKLY BURMA SUMMARY

A Karenni IDP during a Good Life Club program.

Rangers Help Civilian Casualties as Attacks Continue

The Burma Army continued their onslaught from last week and civilians continue to suffer as a result. Karen State in particular endured significant violence as resistance forces attempt to push the Burma military out. Rangers are present across the country, providing relief supplies and medical care.

NORTHERN KAREN STATE

Left: A 50-year-old mother killed by Burma military airstrikes while gathering vegetables.

Right: Rangers distribute food to IDPs.

Top: A 50-year-old mother killed by Burma military airstrikes while gathering vegetables.

Bottom: Rangers distribute food to IDPs.

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2 Oct., fighting broke out between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Burma Army Infantry Battalion (IB) 60 around Ler Mu Plaw and multiple Burma Army soldiers were killed. On the same day, the Burma military dropped 10 bombs on Mu Traw District, Hpapun, and killed a 50-year-old mother of 6 children, Naw Heh Ku.

3 Oct., Burma Army forces mortared Inn Ga Nee, Hsaw Hti Township, and wounded 30-year-old Ma Aye Thi Da. Between 2 and 3 Oct., Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 307 drones bombed Tha Na Gwein and Ywa Thik villages in Mone Township, injuring 3 children, and killing one woman. Rangers provided food to 569 people for relief.

On 5 Oct., A Burma military jet dropped two 500lb bombs on Day Law Bu Village, Buu Tho Township, injuring 14-year-old Naw Poe Nge and killing 3-year-old Naw Mu Naw and her father, 30-year-old Pah Dar Nu. That evening the same Burma military jet dropped two more 500lb bombs near a KNLA checkpoint to the west side of Hpapun. 

See how FBR is providing flood relief

CENTRAL KAREN STATE

MI-35 Dropping supplies to Burma Army forces at Ah Nan Kwin Camp, Win Yae Township, Dooplaya District.

Recent military engagements in Hpa-an Township have escalated tensions between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), with multiple casualties reported. 

On 29 Sept., in response to DKBA forces establishing a new camp, the KNLA attacked DKBA forces near Win Dayal Village, resulting in the death of one DKBA soldier and two more wounded. The following day, DKBA forces, led by Lieutenant Pi, shelled civilian areas in Win Dayal with 81mm mortars, damaging farms where locals work and gather.

30 Sept., around 04:00, Burma Army launched a 155mm howitzer into Pa Naw Khale Khee Village, Win Yae Township, Dooplaya District, damaging the home of civilians Kyawt Mawt Luu and Naw Dah Say. 

On 1 Oct., the Burma Army launched artillery strikes on Pa Lue Gyi Village in Eastern Dawna, Kawtari Township, Dooplaya District, damaging two classrooms and a hospital and forcing civilians into hiding. The situation worsened October 3 when an airstrike by a Burma military Mi-35 helicopter injured a KNLA soldier, who was then treated by Ranger medics. 

Attacks on the regime’s Ah Nan Kwin Camp began later that day and a KNLA soldier was killed by a sniper during combat. The conflict intensified on 4 Oct. Despite air support and artillery strikes from the Burma Army, KNLA and other resistance forces attempted to occupy the camp. Ranger medics treated a wounded soldier. The following day, four KNLA soldiers were injured in an indirect artillery attack. As the situation remains volatile, local Ranger medics continue to provide critical care to the injured.

KARENNI STATE

Left: Ranger hands out gospel bracelets to IDP children.

Right: Ranger gives an elderly patient a checkup.

Top: Ranger hands out gospel bracelets to IDP children.

Bottom: Ranger gives an elderly patient a checkup.

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Karenni Rangers treated 174 patients, including victims of a malaria outbreak, and conducted a GLC for 200 people this week.  

Rangers hosted two mobile medical clinics, each treating 87 patients, one on 2 Oct. in Daw Ta Chat Village, East Demoso Township, and one on 4 Oct. in Naw Mel IDP Camp, Pha Saung Township. The focus of the Daw Taw Chat clinic was general health while the focus of the Naw Mel IDP Camp clinic was hypertension, seasonal influenza, and combating a regional outbreak of malaria. On 2 Oct., in addition to the clinic, Rangers also conducted a GLC program serving 200 people with food, entertainment, and hope. Rangers gave 100,000 burmese kyat each, about 50 U.S. dollars, to two local schools in the vicinity of Daw Ta Chat Village. On 5 Oct., Burma military conducted two airstrikes in Saung Lot Village, Baw Lake Township, at 0900 and 1120 hours, injuring a resistance soldier and damaging three civilian homes.  

Please pray for a stop to the malaria outbreak that has been plaguing the Pha Saung Township since May.

SOUTHERN SHAN STATE

Rangers take a break from loading trucks to play with IDP children.

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Karenni Rangers crossed state borders to continue aiding Bangkok IDP Camp, Le Ei Township, Southern Shan State. On 5 Oct., Rangers used three FBR trucks to help residents relocate to a new camp called Chiang Mai Camp while Bangkok Camp undergoes reconstruction. A boarding school serving 250 students, damaged in the Burma Military attack on Bangkok Camp, is expected to reopen on 9 Oct.  

KACHIN STATE

Left: Burma Army soldiers set fire to houses at Sumpyi Yang, 11 May.

Right: Kids receiving GLC bracelets at Nta Galu IDP Camp on 9 June.

Top: Burma Army soldiers set fire to houses at Sumpyi Yang, 11 May.

Bottom: Kids receiving GLC bracelets at Nta Galu IDP Camp on 9 June.

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Kachin Rangers provided relief to a total of 3,017 people at eight IDP camps in the Sumprabum and Puta-O areas of Kachin State in June 2024. The camps were established after fighting between the Burma Army and resistance forces. The IDPs struggle to re-establish their lives after having their property destroyed and their movement restricted by the Burma Army.

In April 2024, IDPs from Sumprabum fled from fighting to Nta Galu, Su Yang, Mai Htawng and Hka Garan villages. The Burma Army had destroyed civilian houses and a hospital with airstrikes and shelling. The IDPs encountered many obstacles trying to build houses and gather food. The Burma Army had blocked the Myitkyina-Sumprabum highway at the Tayang Zup checkpoint, which caused the price of goods to rise significantly and made it difficult to travel and get medicine. As a result, a bag of rice cost 150,000 kyat (more than $70 USD) and a liter of gas cost 30,000 kyat (more than $14 USD).

On 11 May 2024, around 200 Burma Army soldiers from IBs 137, 138 and 46 came from Putao to Sumpyi Yang Village for two months and harmed the local civilians. Witnesses said seven civilians, including elderly people and pregnant women, were arrested and a 70-year-old civilian was beaten. The Burma Army broke door locks, looted the rice, killed livestock, and burned five civilian houses.

From 6-24 June 2024, Kachin Rangers provided Good Life Clubs, medical treatment, and food supplies to eight IDP camps (Hka Garan, Mai Htawng, Su Yang, Nta Galu, Sumprabum, Sumpyi Yang, Ndup Yang, Salang Yang) in the Sumprabum and Puta-O areas. The IDP camp leaders and occupants were grateful to FBR for the relief. One IDP expressed, “We would like to return but … there are no places for farming even if we go back, we are in a difficult situation. We are grateful that FBR came and helped us. We hope to get more help.”

IRAQ

Left: Team member receiving medical care for an emergency appendectomy.

Right: Woman FBR assisted to escape human-trafficking. 

Top: Team member receiving medical care for an emergency appendectomy.

Bottom: Woman FBR assisted to escape human-trafficking.

Our Middle East team provided crucial medical support and advocacy to friends in need. The team helped a young woman escape a human-trafficking situation by advocating for her situation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities. They also assisted a Syrian father with $400 to cover his son’s emergency tonsil surgery and contributed $1,500 toward the medical bills for a team member who underwent an emergency appendectomy.

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