More than 500 displaced people cannot return to their villages in Mogok Township, Mandalay because the junta has been firing heavy artillery at the villages since 15 September.

One month ago, on 10 September, heavy fighting broke out between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the junta in Mogok Township. The fighting lasted for about five days. Since it died out on 15 September until the time of reporting, 10 October, the junta has been firing artillery into the villages, despite there no longer being any fighting in the area.

“There was fierce fighting for about five days, starting on 10 September. Currently, there is no fighting but the military has been firing artillery at the villages of Konesan, Nyaungkon and Phyuyaung until this morning [10 October]. The villagers now want to go home because they are having difficulties getting food but they still don’t dare go home because artillery shells often land in the villages”, said a source in Mogok.

Previously, on 20 September, a five-year-old boy was killed and his father was injured when an artillery round hit their house.

Talking of the displaced people a villager from Konesan said: “Most are in the nearby forest. Only a very few can run to urban areas. Nobody dares to return to their village because we are afraid of the shelling".