Villagers from Mae Ka Nae, Dooplaya District, Karen State are hiding out and unable to return home after the Myanmar junta bombed their village and church, according to the Free Burma Rangers on 30 April.

The NGO reports that the Myanmar military is killing its own people, partly by conducting airstrikes all over the country. In April, hundreds of people were killed by airstrikes, and churches have been directly bombed.

The church in the village of Mae Ka Nae, Dooplaya District was bombed on 11 April when the Myanmar military launched a ground attack against the village, as well as bombing it multiple times. They dropped a 500-pound bomb directly on the church, which destroyed the church and set it on fire, says the NGO.

In addition to the church being bombed, other buildings were destroyed by airstrikes and 12 other homes were burned to the ground when the military occupied the Mae Ka Nae after the bombings.

All the villagers have fled, including the pastor. He said he is praying to rebuild the church after the dictatorship falls and appreciates everyone’s prayers.

As of this report, the military is pounding the surrounding area with heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. They have set up a base near the ruins of the church and are preventing anyone from coming back.