Residents in Ye Township, Mon State, are living in fear as the military junta’s artillery units regularly fire mortar shells into their area, despite no ongoing clashes. The near-daily shelling has caused widespread concern, according to local sources.
The shelling is primarily being carried out by troops stationed at the junta’s No. 317 Artillery Battalion and the 106th Infantry Battalion, located near Mawkanin village in Ye Township. The military units have been indiscriminately firing mortars towards the outskirts of nearby villages, even though there are no active conflicts in the area.
“Because of the constant shelling, people working in the fields and farms are afraid the mortars will land near them. It’s also making it difficult for people who need to travel for tasks like clearing fields and cutting grass,” said a local resident.
The junta forces reportedly fire mortars two to three times a day, with the frequency of attacks increasing at night.
Local farmers have been forced to abandon around 3,000 acres of farmland near the No. 317 Artillery Battalion and tens of thousands of acres near the 106th Infantry Battalion, as they fear for their lives.
“Nobody lives near the military bases anymore. Farm owners can’t go back, and we’ve had to abandon our fields. I have four fields, but I haven’t been able to work on them for two years now. I can’t even go to cut the grass. No one dares to do it,” said a male farm owner.
According to local reports, civilian casualties have been recorded as a result of the junta’s frequent shelling into populated areas in Ye Township, further heightening the residents’ fears.
