Fighting continues in Lashio, with about 30,000 residents trapped

Northern Shan State The fighting in Lashio city continues fiercely, and out of the 80,000 residents of Lashio, more than 50,000 have fled and 30,000 are trapped inside the city, according to local residents.

It is said that since July 3rd, the military council camps in Lashio have been attacked by joint forces with the National Army (MNDAA) and local people have been killed due to the explosion of artillery shells on the city.

"It's not convenient. If you want to avoid it after being with the child, you have to have enough money."

A resident of Lashio told RFA that she could not run away because she had a child and financial difficulties, so she stayed in the city.

"It's not convenient to be with a child. If you want to avoid it, you have to have enough money. Those who are not comfortable with the basic class manual laborers live here. Then it is not easy to rent a car. Car fares are also expensive."

He said that due to the number of closed shops, the prices of food products are too high and he can no longer buy them.

A 100-year-old Lashio resident also told RFA that it was difficult for him to leave the city because he was hit in the head and leg by a weapon and was receiving food with the help of social aid groups.

"In order to eat and drink, all the shops in Lashio are closed, so we took some of them from social relief. The plane came down yesterday. All the houses in those 507 ears were completely destroyed. Some of the bombed-out houses are no longer available."

He said that three of his neighbors were killed by the heavy weapons, and they had to be buried in the trench.

According to Lashio residents and social aid organizations, from July 3rd to July 17th, when the fighting began, about 30 local people were killed and more than 30 were injured.

An aid worker in Lashio told RFA that people who are stuck in the city due to lack of money and those who have fled to other cities are facing various difficulties.

"There are many people who want to go here because of lack of money and are stranded here. Some want to go to Mandalay. Some want to go to the mountain side. There is no money. They are selling the bikes they ride and trying to get them back like that."

Most of the relief workers have already left Lashio city, and their team is also trying to return to Lashio city from Namlan, Thipaw Township, but they have not been able to, he said.

More than 50,000 residents of Lashio are Kut Khaing, Namlan, mountain They fled towards Mandalay and Yangon, and some of the local residents were trapped on the road.

A refugee from Lashio who fled to Taunggyi City told RFA that he may face difficulties in the long run because he does not have enough money.

"Because the money is not enough, it's because of the people who came out with the means. If we spend the money that comes with it, it won't be easy for us in the long run. Because I came to another township, there is no job, and it will not be convenient in the long run."

He said that he had to go to Taunggyi for four days after being examined at the military council gate, and because there are many war refugees in Taunggyi, the rent is expensive.

"Just the other day, there were two more in the city of Cindy. Now, there is no other danger. The danger of this plane going to the left is that there is concern, and I am in a position to be careful. On this side, if we continue to go up, this is a danger to the plane.

They fled to other areas, including Taungyi and Namlan, and some of those who were not comfortable wanted to return to Lashio, he said.

RFA contacted MNDAA spokesperson Lee Tiger Win (aka U Kyaw Naing) and Shan State spokesperson U Khun Thein Maung, Shan State spokesperson for the military council, to find out the situation of the battle, but there was no response from RFA.

The MNDAA announced on July 16 that it captured 32 prisoners of war, including a second division commander of the Military Council Army, during the fighting near Lashio.

Currently in Lashio city, only the military council troops are taking over the security, and the MNDAA and its partners are attacking from around the city as a follow-up to the 1027 operation.