The United Nations said over 230,000 people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that 117,000 people were displaced in the state of Karen in June, with 103,000 being displaced last month. OCHA also said that several thousand refugees were escaping fighting in the neighboring states Kachin and Shan.
In a statement, one of Myanmar’s oldest ethnic groups, the Karen National Union, told Reuters that they’re worried about the country’s military using excessive force, adding that they will continue to fight.
“The KNU will continue to fight against military dictatorship and provide as much protection as possible to people and unarmed civilians,” KNU said.
Since February, Myanmar has been in a crisis after a coup-like takeover of the elected government led to multiple protests and a deadly conflict between the military and local citizens’ armies.
According to the advocacy group Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), at least 877 people are dead, and over 6,000 have been arrested since the coup.