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SHAN STATE – A resident said that there has been a fuel shortage in Mobye Town of Southern Shan State and that now they cannot buy as much fuel as they need.
He went on saying that fuel shortage is more obvious since mid-July due to the intense fights between the military council and Karenni-allied revolutionary forces in Mobye Town since June.
“The current condition is so bad. Fuel is out of stock. Gasoline can only be bought every four or five days and the price is also high. Skyrocketing prices are not an issue here as there aren’t many people left in the city and not many places to go,” said a resident.
The price of fuel in Mobye has always been higher than in the nearby towns, but it was easy to buy. But since July, after military blockage of the entrances and exits to the town, there was a fuel shortage.
Currently, there are only two petrol shops in Mobye town, and the price of one liter of Octane 92 ranges between 5,000 and 8,000 kyats, and diesel is no longer available.
“There is no more fuel in the town, and we have to sneak it in as the junta prohibited the transport. Not a large amount could be smuggled in and if you were found, you might get killed. We’ve got no choice but to take risk and smuggle it in since we have no fuel left to use,” said a person who fled the war from Mobye to Pekon Town.
From June until today (July 21), there has been frequent fighting in and around Mobye town, and more than half of the town’s residents have been forced to flee. Moreover, the locals of Du Htan, Lwalyin Mingalar, and Lwalyin Taungchay Villages from Pekon Township, are still unable to return home.
It is also reported that the traders traveling to Khontha Village in Demoso from Moebye Town are unable to go by land due to the fighting and thus have to travel by waterway, which results in doubling of traveling expenses.