Aid is needed for more than 500,000 people who have had to flee from their homes to Karen National Union (KNU) controlled areas of Karen (Kayin) State due to junta military offensives.

The call for aid was made by the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG).

According to the KHRG, from the beginning of January to 15 February, the military junta conducted at least 23 airstrikes in Karen State.

At the end of December 2022, there were about 350,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in all of Karen State, including KNU-controlled areas. This has now risen to more than 500,000 IDPs sheltering in Karen State.

Saw Nanda Hsue, a KHRG spokesperson said to Mizzima: "According to our records, there were 23 airstrikes from January to February. Especially in our [KNU] Brigade 5 and Brigade 6 [controlled] areas the number of IDPs has increased quite a bit and now there are more than 500,000 IDPs. Because of the ongoing fighting, there is a need for humanitarian aid, especially food. There are a lot of difficulties because transportation is not secure.”

According to the KNU the junta destroyed many homes and schools in airstrikes on 14 and 15 February.

On 13 February three junta jets dropped bombs on Daybuno Village in the KNU Brigade 5 controlled area and hit six houses. Casualty numbers are currently unknown.

On 15 February three junta fighter jets flying out of Lu Thaw dropped six bombs onto Pedae Kae Village, also in the KNU Brigade 5 controlled area.

According to a representative of the Karen Education and Culture Department (KECD) shrapnel fell onto houses and a school. They added: "The airstrike did not hit the school directly, so no students were injured.”

Though no students were injured this time the incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by civilians in the area.

According to the KECD there are frequent junta airstrikes in the area and they target religious and residential buildings.

FORSEA (Forces of Renewal South East Asia) has recently asserted that the Burmese junta's deployment of airstrikes falls under the definition of "domestic terrorism" developed by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The United Nations has reported that as of 30 January, 2023, there were an estimated 1,584,000 IDPs in Myanmar.