The Burmese army hit two churches in the town of Lungtak, in Chin state, located in western Myanmar, in a series of airstrikes carried out on 11 and 12 May.
According to the report from the Vatican agency Fides on 15 May, in addition to the attacks on the Catholic and Baptist churches, five homes were reduced to rubble, plunging the town’s residents into terror.
According to the local sources, the affected Catholic church is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Kalay. The local priest, Father Titus En Za Khan, managed to escape along with the faithful and find refuge in the nearby forests.
“The violence continues to affect the civilian population, especially in the territory of Sagaing, part of which belongs to the Diocese of Kalay,” indicated a local Catholic source.
These bombings occur against a backdrop of ongoing conflict, where resistance forces, including ethnic groups such as the Chin National Army and the Zomi Revolutionary Army, have joined forces against the military junta that took power in 2021.
In response, the Burmese military has intensified its operations, resulting in indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Chin State, where the majority of the population is Christian.
The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), an NGO with special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, has warned of a serious regional humanitarian crisis. At the same time, the international community calls for an immediate end to violence and dialogue inclusive to resolve the conflict.
Meanwhile, residents affected by these attacks continue to face a reality marked by fear and uncertainty, hoping peace can soon return to their lives.