A military warplane bombed the Bangkok IDP Camp in Laei village, Pekon Township, on the Shan-Kayah border last week, killing at least 10 people and injuring many more. Over 650 displaced individuals, mostly children, had sought refuge at the camp, fleeing violence in the region. The devastating attack occurred just hours after “watermelons”—informants who secretly support democracy—warned residents of a possible strike. The bomb hit around 9:00 p.m., as most of the camp’s occupants were preparing to evacuate the following morning.
The explosion killed eight children, including five girls aged 10 to 13, as well as two women. Twenty others were severely injured. Among the victims was a man known to a local contact who provides resources to children at the camp. His wife and one daughter were killed in the blast, while his surviving daughter lost her eyes and required amputation.
The camp, located near a school run by a local priest, had been a sanctuary for children and families. Many believe the attack was a deliberate act of retaliation by the military following a KNDF bombing during junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Loikaw.
This brutal attack has left the area devastated, turning a place of refuge into a site of unimaginable horror and loss.
