I. War Crimes He continued: On November 14, we went to a displaced persons area. We went the wrong way [closer to the frontlines]. And we were attacked by the junta jets. It was between Hpayarhpyu and Loikaw. We were supposed to go to Daw Paw Ka Le [Ywar Gyi] village. The attack happened because we got lost. The jet dropped a bomb near us. I could see the children running from the village. We ran to them, and I told the children to go to the bunker. This was in Daw Paw Ka Le [Ywar Ngal] village.73 A humanitarian worker from the Karenni Humanitarian Aid Initiative, who also used to serve as an engineer in the Myanmar Air Force, told Fortify Rights about how the Myanmar junta targeted teams evacuating residents out of Loikaw after the start of Operation 1111.74 He said: The rescue group was intentionally targeted by an aircraft when we were bringing civilians out of Loikaw. When we passed through the fields outside of Loikaw, they shot with heavy guns from the aircraft. The jet fighter shot at us seven times. There were no soldiers in the area. We rescued the people. There was a convoy of trucks on the road [bringing out residents]. The bullets from the aircraft were [heavy caliber]. The bullets hit very close to me.75 He continued: We were being targeted intentionally. When we were bringing civilians out of Loikaw, there were a lot of civilians and not enough trucks. I saw the fighter jets shoot one time, and the fighter jets came again and again. They shot at us seven times. We were not in military trucks. I think the junta jets knew we were civilians, but the Burma [Myanmar] army doesn’t differentiate between civilians and resistance fighters. They were targeting anyone in [and fleeing from] Loikaw.76 The Karenni Humanitarian Aid Initiative, Karenni Hope, and other groups have evacuated thousands of people from Loikaw and the surrounding area since November 11, 2023.77 73 Ibid. 74 Fortify Rights interview with E.Z., Demoso Township, Karenni State, Myanmar, February 28, 2024. 75 Ibid. 76 Ibid. 77 Fortify Rights interview with E.G., Demoso Township, Karenni State, Myanmar, February 25, 2024. 48