Five people in a south-west China town near Myanmar have been injured by stray artillery shells from across the border, as fighting between Myanmar’s junta and rebels persist.
Key points:
- The five people were taken to hospital
- The UN says more than 660,000 people in Myanmar have been displaced since October
- China has repeatedly called for ceasefire talks between the warring parties in Myanmar
China’s state-controlled Global Times has circulated a video on social media showing one person lying on a pedestrian pavement in front of a row of street stores with people shouting “call the police”.
In the video, Global Times said officials in Zhenkang had confirmed shelling had strayed from Laukkai, hitting Nansan, a town under its jurisdiction, around 2pm (local time) on Wednesday.
The five people have since been taken to hospital, it said.
Kokang in Myanmar’s Shan state has been a volatile for years
In 2015, shelling from the area also landed across the border in Yunnan amid fighting between Myanmar government troops and rebels, injuring one Chinese and four Myanmar nationals, and angering Beijing.
Last week, the Chinese embassy in Myanmar urged its nationals to leave Laukkai as soon as possible, citing growing security risks.
Armed conflict between Myanmar’s military and rebel groups in the country’s north has escalated since late October.
China has repeatedly called for ceasefire talks and even facilitated dialogue between the two sides.
According to the United Nations in mid-December, more than 660,000 people in Myanmar have been displaced since October 27, putting the total current displacement nationwide at a record 2.6 million people.
Chinese authorities have told Chinese citizens to avoid travel to northern Myanmar, and for those already in the area, to move to safety or return to China.
China also urged the parties in the conflict to exercise “maximum restraint” and achieve a “soft landing” in the situation in northern Myanmar.
Reuters