Mizzima
Roughly 7,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes in Salingyi Township in battle-torn Sagaing over the last week as local temperatures rose.
Since 5 am on 23 April, junta troops have been conducting raids on villages along the Monywa-Pathein road in Salingyi Township, Sagaing Region, prompting the exodus.
According to a Mizzima reporter on the ground, a junta column of around 150 soldiers indiscriminately set fire to two houses in Kankone Village in Salingyi Township at 8 am on 25 April.
“It’s the second time this month we’ve had to flee, and it takes one to two weeks to escape. With the intense heat and lack of shelter, people are forced to take refuge under trees. Concerns arise about healthcare for the elderly and children among the displaced people,” said one displaced person in Salingyi.
The junta forces have conducted raids twice in April in Yinmarbin and Salingyi townships, attempting to persuade residents to cooperate with them, resistance fighter Lwan Thu from the Yinmarbin Strike Force says.
“Troops moved from village to village, urging residents to comply with them. They conducted area clearances and are striving to restore control over copper mines,” said Lwan Thu.
Currently, to facilitate the transportation of manufactured copper plates, junta troops have established hideouts along Yinmarbin-Salingyi Road in Yinmarbin Township and are conducting frequent patrols, according to reports from the ground.
Around 7,000 residents from Donetaw, Kyaysarkya, Kankone, Gonetaw, Beinnwechaung, and other villages in Salingyi Township have been displaced due to the junta’s actions. The prolonged displacement poses challenges in terms of living conditions and accommodation, according to those aiding the displaced population.
Myanmar is suffering from a heat wave, with temperatures in the low 40 degrees Centigrade, worsening the plight of the internally displaced people or IDPs.
