TANINTHARYI DIVISION – It is learned from the information officer of Myeik District Battalion 1 that the local civilians were forced to flee as there were military movements by junta council troops at Nateainkan Village, a coastal village in Palaw Township.
“(The junta forces) destroyed the huts in the fields and also wildly fired their guns. No one dares to stay (in the village),” said a 30 year old resident man.
Local defence forces explained that around 70 junta forces were said to have arrived in the area on February 12 and had set up hidden sentries and conducted area clearance operations and as 20 more soldiers arrived on February 14, there are now said to be around 100 junta forces stationed there.
Nateainkan Village is part of Magyikone Village Tract which according to the 2014 census has a total of 377 households.
Just as there are junta military movements in Nateainkan Village, junta forces are also active in Milaungchaung Village of Kyel Village Tract where there were fierce battles during the last week of January, according to the local defence forces.
FE5 Tanintharyi, a Tanintharyi Division focused research group stated that 15,800 civilians from Palaw Township were displaced in December 2023.