Residents along Chindwin River urged to evacuate to safe areas during passage of military vessels

Photo – The Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group and the Chindwin River Village Strike Committee have urged residents along the Chindwin River to evacuate to safe areas in advance during the passage of military vessels. (Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group) 001 (July 5) Mizzima. The Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group and the Chindwin River Village Strike Committee have urged the public to evacuate to safe areas in advance during the passage of military junta vessels on the Chindwin River, as heavy and small arms fire is being directed towards both banks along the route. The Chindwin River Village Strike Committee issued a statement yesterday (July 4) calling on the public to evacuate to safe areas and to stay in places such as bomb shelters and sturdy buildings during the passage of military vessels. An official from the Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group told Mizzima today (July 5), "They are in a situation where they are firing heavy weapons and small arms at the riverbanks in places they don't expect. Furthermore, in some places where they arrive, helicopters from the 5th Corps in Monywa provide forward firing support." Due to these attacks, residents of villages along the route where the vessels are sailing have also been forced to flee, it was said. The official from the Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group said, "When they fire heavy weapons unexpectedly, they evacuate to places that are far from the heavy weapons. The evacuation is only temporary. Once they are far away, some people return to their villages to live." According to an official from the Chindwin Dynamite People's Defence Force, the military vessels that departed from Gawun Port in Mandalay about three days ago are expected to sail up towards Homalin Township in Sagaing Region. "They bomb the villages around the areas where they will stop and camp at night with helicopters. They also bomb with paramotors. There are no civilian casualties," he said. It is known that during this period of high water levels on the Chindwin River, the military junta often transports weapons, ammunition, and related supplies using flat motorboats and attack vessels, moving them up and down the river. According to a statement from the Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group, 46 military junta watercraft that sailed up the Chindwin River via the Shin Phyu Shin Bridge between Sagaing and Magway regions arrived at Alon Min Done Port in Monywa on the morning of July 4. This included six military vessels and 40 cargo flatboats. The Anya Pyt Taing Htaung Lay Group stated that these vessels carried materials related to the Wanbao copper mine project, weapons and ammunition, and a large number of trained conscripts. It is also possible that some transferred personnel from Monywa will be loaded onto these ships as they continue their journey upstream. Editor – Thant Zaw (Thanlyin)