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A KHRG researcher received these photos from a local villager on October 11th 2024. The photos were taken at E--- village, Noh Poe village tract, Kaw T’Ree Township, Dooplaya District. On October 9th 2024, SAC’s Aung Zeya Column shelled into E--- village, Noh Poe village tract. The photo on the top left shows damages to the roof of a villager’s house, from the shelling. A villager named Saw B--- was also injured, as he was under the stilted house at the time of the attack. The photo on the top right displays Saw B---’s injury, sustained on his left leg, while being treated by KNLA medics who provided first aid. Saw B--- was referred to D--- Clinic in F--- Town (Tak province, Thailand). Due to the shelling, one cow was injured and another one died. The photo on the bottom left shows a cow of Saw B---’s parents, killed due to the shelling. [Photos: Local villager]
[Prior to October 2024,] fighting had happened between Aung Zeya Column[2] [from the State Administration Council (SAC)[3]] and Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)[4]’s Cobra Column[5] near the Asian Highway[6], between Ra Ma Tee [Myawaddy] Town and Kaw T’Ree Town, in Dooplaya District, for approximately eight months and villagers [who live near the Asian Highway] could hear the sound of military activities [gun firing, mortar shelling, and air strikes] every week.
On October 9th 2024, fighting did not occur between the two armed groups. However, at around 10 am in the morning, a mortar shell was fired into E--- village, Noh Poe village tract[7], Kaw T’Ree Township, Dooplaya District, injuring a 25-year-old villager named Saw[8] B--- on his left leg, damaging his parent’s house, killing one of their cows, and injuring another cow. [Villagers believe that] the shell was fired by [SAC’s] Aung Zeya Column because there was no other military column active in that area. The shell exploded while villagers were unaware [there was no warning].
A villager named Saw A--- explained that, at around 10 am, he and his family members had finished their breakfast and he went outside, not too far from the house, to fix his waterpipe that had broken the previous day. Saw A---’s wife was sweeping in front of their house and [their] son, Saw B--- (25 years old), was laying under the [stilted] house helping his two-year-old daughter, Naw[9] C---, to fall asleep [when the shelling occurred]. She was uninjured by the shelling, however, her father, Saw B---, sustained a serious injury on his left leg.
Firstly, KNLA medics [in the area] provided first aid services to Saw B---, and later he was referred to D--- Clinic, in F--- Town (Tak Province, Thailand), to receive medical treatment. Other villagers helped to transport him. [It is unknown who paid for his treatment fee]. The doctor explained to Saw A--- that Saw B---’s leg was seriously injured, however, his bones and veins were fine [meaning that his injury was not as severe as it could have been].
[A local villager from E--- village explained that] only a few groups of villagers live in E--- village and there are no soldiers living in E--- village. This [the shelling of villages without warning] is a violation of human rights.
The information was verified because Saw A---, the victim [the owner of the damaged house and family member of the injured villager], reported the incident to a KHRG researcher, and the researcher conducted an interview with him. The victim allowed us to use this information.
Further background reading on the situation on SAC shelling in Southeast Burma/Myanmar can be found in the following KHRG reports: