Residents of Yechaunghpyar, an area controlled by the New Mon State Party (NMSP), say they no longer feel safe in their daily lives as the military junta continues to carry out airstrikes despite the absence of active fighting in the area.
Since late May, the area has been hit by three airstrikes. Residents said military reconnaissance aircraft are still regularly flying over the region, causing the number of displaced people to increase.
A local resident said that although they are living inside NMSP-controlled territory, the military junta can launch air attacks at any time, leaving people feeling insecure.
“I don’t think it is very safe to live here anymore. We are always afraid because they can bomb us at any time. Aircraft are also different from before. Sometimes the bombs fall before we even hear the sound of the aircraft. Because of that, most people are afraid to sleep at night,” he said.
Residents from Kamon and Chaungnakwa villages, who experienced the airstrikes firsthand, are still sheltering in safer locations.
Another resident from Yechaunghpyar said those who have not yet fled are keeping emergency supplies ready so they can evacuate quickly if another airstrike occurs.
“Although some people have not fled yet, they are living cautiously. We keep hearing reports that aircraft may return. Those who have already fled are afraid to come back, while those remaining in the villages continue to live in fear,” he said.
Sources close to local aid efforts said that before the airstrike on the Nippon Foundation housing area, fewer than 700 displaced people from villages inside NMSP-controlled territory were taking shelter in monasteries, relatives’ homes, and plantations. The number has now risen to more than 1,000.
Displaced civilians sheltering in these locations are in urgent need of food, shelter materials, and medical supplies.
The Southern Myanmar Humanitarian Network has also noted that although large-scale military operations and direct clashes have declined in southern Myanmar, civilians remain unsafe and are currently facing one of the highest levels of concern over airstrike threats.
