Five civilians, including four elderly people, from northern Ayadaw Township in Sagaing Region have been killed by Myanmar’s regime, according to residents.
Around 75 troops and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militia members raided Taung Mwhar village on Tuesday, shelling and seizing eight villagers as hostages, according to residents.
Seven of the hostages were released on Thursday and one was still being held.
“They were released with wounds. Ko Win Min is still in their hands,” a villager said.
Ko Min Min, 30, was shot dead while trying to escape the raid and U Hla Htay, 80, was killed when a shell hit his house.
U Yar Nyunt, 75, died from a heart attack during the raid.
Troops occupied the village monastery for the day, searched houses and looted the monks’ phones, according to a villager.
A short clash with resistance forces was reported on Tuesday evening.
“We entered the village because we thought they had left but soldiers were hiding in the houses so we retreated,” a resistance member told The Irrawaddy.
On Wednesday morning the troops torched the village and Daw Khin Sein and Daw Aye Htoke, both around 70, were killed in the fire.
“Daw Khin Sein was not in good health and was immobile. I told Daw Aye Htoke to flee on Tuesday but she didn’t. All five villagers have been buried,” a resistance member said.
Taung Mwhar village had around 400 houses of which around 150 were burned, according to villagers. The fires were not extinguished until Thursday.
“At least four or five goat farms, crops and machinery were destroyed. The loss is heavy,” a villager said.
The troops moved 2km to Kyaway Bagan village on Wednesday and burned around nine houses.
Thousands of civilians from six villages in northern Ayadaw have fled their houses since the regime raids. The troops reportedly raided and torched Ma Kye Sout village in southern Ayadaw on Thursday.
