Shattered Sanctuary: A Brutal Attack on Innocence and the Urgent Need for More Support
Late Thursday night, a junta warplane dropped a 500-pound bomb on the “Bangkok IDP Camp” in Laei village, Pekon Township, on the Shan-Kayah border. Over 650 people were packed into the camp, many of them children, who had sought refuge from ongoing violence. Just a day earlier, informants—known as "watermelons," soldiers who secretly support democracy—had warned the camp’s residents of a possible attack. Most of them planned to leave early the next morning, but no one expected an attack in the middle of the night. At around 9:00 p.m., the bomb hit, bringing chaos and devastation.
Our local contact, who we support through our donation fund, was in the area delivering critical resources to children at the camp when the bomb was dropped. The camp was home to many kids because it was located near a respected school run by a local priest, where families sent their children for quality education and care. But in an instant, the camp turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. At least 10 people died, including eight children—five girls between the ages of 10 and 13. Two women, one of them a teacher, were also killed. Another 20 people were severely injured, and the entire area was left in shock.
One of the victims was a man our contact knows personally—his former school teacher. Although he was only lightly wounded, the tragedy that befell him is unspeakable. His wife was killed, brutally beheaded by the blast, and one of his daughters was also killed. His other daughter survived but was severely injured, losing both her eyes and requiring amputation. Our contact provided a small donation to him in his time of need, and once he's released from the hospital, he plans to visit him. The man's trauma is beyond comprehension.
Our contact believes this bombing was a deliberate act of revenge by the military, in response to a KNDF bombing during Min Aung Hlaing’s recent visit to Loikaw. They knowingly targeted a camp full of children and families, turning a place of refuge and education into a site of death and destruction.
The devastation caused by this attack is staggering. What was once a camp where children found safety and care has now been reduced to rubble. Families are mourning their loved ones, especially the young lives lost. Our local contact is doing everything he can, but this unexpected disaster has made it clear that much more support is urgently needed. The resources delivered through our donation fund were a lifeline, but after this catastrophe, the need is far greater than ever.