Myanmar junta forces bombed a medical clinic and camp for internally displaced persons in southern Shan State less than 24 hours after former United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon urged regime leader Min Aung Hlaing to immediately cease all violence in the country.
At least five civilians including a new mother and a 15-year-old boy were injured when a junta fighter launched airstrikes on Tuesday against a clinic in Saung Phwe Village in southern Shan’s Pekon Township at around 12.15pm, according to the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG).
“The jet fighter conducted three rounds of shooting and bombing at the clinic, injuring at least five civilians: two man, two women and one teenage boy,” a KnHRG spokesperson said.
A mother who had recently given birth was seriously wounded. Fortunately, her three-day-old baby survived the attack uninjured, according to local sources.
“One of the injured women is a mother and she is in critical condition as she has suffered serious head injuries,” a local resident said.
On Monday, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, defense minister Mya Htun Oo, foreign minister Than Swe and ex-president U Thein Sein in the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw. Ban is now deputy chair of The Elders, a group of former world leaders founded by Nelson Mandela which works to promote peace.
But while Ban was holding talks with the military regime, six junta fighter jets carried out nine airstrikes in Sagaing’s Tigyaing Township between 9.00am and 5.00pm.
At the same time, regime soldiers carried out three raids and arson attacks in the township, forcing over one thousand residents from six villages to flee their homes.
Ban departed Naypyitaw on Monday afternoon.
In a press statement released by The Elders on Tuesday, Ban urged the regime to take the first steps to find a way out of the crisis Myanmar is facing and to start constructive dialogue among all parties concerned.
However, the junta is still continuing its atrocities against civilian targets despite Ban’s request to halt hostilities against the Myanmar people, according to the spokesperson for the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).
“The junta responded to Mr. Ban-Ki Moon’s request by launching an airstrike on a hospital in Shan State on Tuesday. This is a response to his request for the military to take the first steps,” said NUG spokesperson U Kyaw Zaw.
