Civilians and Resistance Fighters Killed by Myanmar Junta in Sagaing

By The Irrawaddy 8 June 2022

Eight people, including two people’s defense force (PDF) members, were executed by Myanmar’s regime forces and pro-military Pyu Saw Htee militia members following arrests in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region, on Tuesday. 

Chaung-U PDF told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that two comrades, Chan Ko, 28, and Nanda, 23, were detained along with civilians by regime soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members near Kangyikone village in the township on Tuesday morning while the two were shopping. 

Chaung-U PDF quoted witnesses as saying regime forces seized 15 people, including pedestrians and farmers, in the east of the village without reporting any fighting. 

Submitting pictures of the corpses, the pro-regime FiftyTwo News Telegram channel reported that troops killed eight Chaung-U PDF “terrorists” and seized homemade weapons and ammunition during a firefight near Shwe Hla village in the township on Tuesday evening. 

However, Chaung-U PDF said there was no clash in the area on Tuesday. 

“They have committed arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions on both PDFs and civilians,” said the Chaung-U PDF’s spokesman.  

He said pro-military news channels spread propaganda to cover the regime’s arbitrary arrests and killings. 

On May 24, regime forces and Pyu Saw Htee members killed a farmer, who was thought to be in his 70s, and his two sons while they were farming in the township, said Chaung-U PDF. 

A pro-junta Telegram channel reported that three PDF “terrorists” were killed during a firefight in the township, said Chaung-U PDF. 

The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the killings of civilians. 

Last week, at least seven civilians, including a child and two senior citizens, were killed by regime forces in three Sagaing townships. 

As of June 7, at least 1,906 people have been slain by junta forces, while more than 14,000 people, including government leaders, have been detained since last year’s coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. 

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