SAC shelling into A--- village caused child casualties

On December 28th 2023, combined forces from the People’s Defence Force (PDF)[2] and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[3] attacked State Administration Council (SAC)[4] soldiers based at the Taung Kyain bridge [area], Taung Kyain village tract,[5] Kruh Tuh Township, Dooplaya District. After the fighting, the SAC fired mortar shells into [nearby] A--- village, Raw Keh village tract, Kruh Tuh Township. At about 9 pm, a mortar shell landed in a villager's kitchen, fatally injuring an 11-year-old student (Grade 3), Saw[6] D---, and also injuring a 13-year-old girl, Nan[7] E---, and a 19-year-old boy, Saw F---, while they were sleeping in the house. Nan E--- was injured on her left leg and her back, and Saw F--- was injured on his arm by shrapnel from mortar shells. Saw D---’s left leg was shattered, his intestines were expelled from his abdomen, and his face was severely injured by shrapnel from the [exploded] mortar shells.

After the incident, Daw[8] G---, a family member of the victims, asked a driver to help transport them to a clinic. They were first sent to H--- clinic, Wa Ka village tract, Kruh Tuh Township, for treatment. Saw D--- died approximately 30 minutes after he arrived at H--- clinic. His corpse was transported back to the village by the driver, who then returned to H--- clinic from the village, since Nan E--- and Saw F--- were [severely injured, thus] unable to be treated there. The driver then transported them to Hpa-An hospital. Daw G--- explained to KHRG: “Another child [villager] called me, ‘A’Daw, A’Daw’, and said, ‘your grandchild and nephew were hit by mortar shells’. I asked a driver for help and transported them to H--- clinic, [Wa Ka village tract]. When we arrived at the clinic, a health worker told me: ‘This small boy [Saw D---] cannot be treated... He is only 11 years old [and] was injured on his left leg, stomach, and face. He is unable to talk anymore’. He just nodded his head when I asked anything to him. He died before midnight. A health worker said those patients [with grave injuries] cannot be treated here, and should be sent to [the hospital at] Three Pagodas Pass [a town bordering Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province]. Saw D--- died [at H--- clinic] while his aunty went back [to the village] to bring [clean] clothes. The driver transported his corpse back [to the village]. After that, the driver went to pick up the other two patients [Nan E--- and Saw F---, from H--- clinic] and transported them to Hpa-An hospital [as Daw G--- thought it is better equipped].”

Nan E--- had to undergo surgery for the injuries on her leg and back [but Saw F--- did not require surgery]. They have already been discharged from the hospital, but still have to go to Hpa-An hospital for [follow-up] medical appointments [, as of the reporting date]. The victims were living with [Daw G---,] their [Nan E---’s and Saw D---’s] grandmother [Saw F---’s aunt], because their parents are working in Bangkok. Due to the rain and floods [during previous months], the victims’ grandmother[/aunt] is facing livelihood challenges. [It is unknown whether their family received any support for medical costs or livelihood costs from any organisations].

Fighting and SAC air strikes on B--- village caused destruction

On the same day, the same combined forces from the PDF and KNLA attacked the SAC police station in B--- village, Taung Kyain village tract, Kruh Tuh Township, Dooplaya District. During the fighting, the SAC conducted air strikes in B--- village, Taung Kyain village tract, Kruh Tuh Township. Consequently, 22 houses were burned [by the air strike], one school building was burned, and another nearby school building that had two floors was destroyed.

SAC shelling into C--- village caused injuries

After the police station was captured [by the KNLA], at about 9 pm, SAC Light Infantry Battalion (LIB)[9] #545, under Military Operations Command (MOC)[10] #12, based near Kaw T’Ree Town, fired mortars into C--- village, Raw Keh village tract, Kruh Tuh Township [located approximately half an hour away by motorbike]. In total, 10 rounds of mortar landed in and around C--- village. Four mortar rounds landed in the village, one mortar round landed outside a [nearby] monastery complex, and five mortar rounds landed in the monastery complex. The shell that landed at the entrance of the monastery damaged a nun’s dormitory and monastery building. Around 60 people from B--- village were seeking shelter in this monastery due to [the earlier] fighting. Among the displaced, there were [vulnerable] villagers [including someone] who had a stroke and [someone with] diabetes. Monks and villagers [from C--- village] supported and provided food and hygiene [products] to the displaced.

A monk named U[11] I--- explained to KHRG: “I heard that they [the SAC] said that they did not target us [the monastery]. However, in my perspective, they targeted us. They fired two mortar shells into the displacement site [their monastery], so I have some suspicions [about their intentions]. They fired five mortar shells in the monastery complex in total.” The monk also added: “During the shelling, displaced people, including persons with [physical] disabilities who sought shelter in the monastery, were hiding under a [stilt] building so they were safe. If not, at least six or seven people would have been killed, because a mortar shell landed on the place [building] where they were sleeping.” The mortar shrapnel injured a 34-year-old monk named U J--- on his right arm, as well as a 53-year-old monastery supporter [villager who helps with daily tasks] named U K--- on his left buttock. A C--- villager transported the two victims on the same night to H--- clinic, Wa Ka village tract, Kruh Tuh Township. Since the shrapnel was embedded in their bodies, they were transferred to Hpa-An hospital for further treatment the next morning. The victims have been discharged from the hospital and have [fully] recovered. [It is unknown whether they received any support for medical costs from any organisations].

After the shelling on December 28th 2023, the displaced families [from B--- village] who were staying at the monastery in C--- village [felt afraid and] had to flee again to other places. Some people fled to their relatives’ villages, while others fled to other nearby areas. Moreover, some of the monks who live in C--- monastery also fled to other areas because they did not dare to stay at the monastery after the incident. The monk named U I--- added: “I would like to say it is not a good thing to shell villages and religious buildings. Targeting civilians and religious buildings was not a good thing to do, so I would like to report [inform] the international community about it.”

Further background reading on the security and human rights situation in Doo Tha Htoo District in Southeast Burma can be found in the following KHRG reports:

• “Doo Tha Htoo District Incident Report: Two villagers were injured as a result of SAC mortar shelling in Bilin Township, June 2022”, March 2023.
• “Doo Tha Htoo District Incident Report: Villagers killed as a result of SAC mortar shelling in Bilin Township, June 2022”, February 2023.
• “Dooplaya District Incident Report: Rape and killing of two adolescent sisters in Waw Ray Township, April 2022”, January 2023.
• “Human, Not for Shield: Attack on civilians in Bilin Township, Doo Tha Htoo District, April 22nd to May 22nd 2022”, December 2022.