Junta troops opened fire on residents of a village fleeing a predawn raid in Sagaing Region on Thursday, shooting one woman dead and injuring two others, including a child, according to local residents.
A military column of 70 troops attacked Sa Moon Village in the region’s Sagaing Township—a resistance stronghold—at 5am, firing indiscriminately at residents trying to flee, according to Sagaing True News, the township’s resistance media outlet.
Daw Khin Ma Ma, 50, died after being shot in her forehead while trying to flee to safety.
Daw Nu Nu Win, 45, was shot in the arm.
A six-year-old boy, Myo Naing Win, was shot in the head by junta troops.
Both survived.
Residents of the village who were unable to flee in time were detained by junta troops, local residents told Sagaing True News.
The news outlet reported that regime forces also looted the village.
They seized five vehicles from residents of the village as well as 50 million kyats (US$ 15,600), it said.
After looting Sa Moon Village, the military column advanced to nearby Padu Village and torched homes in the village, Sagaing True News reported.
The regime claimed on Thursday that its forces conducted a security-clearance operation in Sa Moon Village after being tipped off that members of a local People’s Defense Force (PDF) were sheltering in the village.
It said several weapons, as well as ammunition, were seized from two vehicles parked at the village’s monastery.
The junta referred to the alleged PDF members as “terrorists.”
It did not mention that its troops fired on civilians fleeing the predawn raid or that they shot one woman dead, injured another woman, and shot a six-year-old boy in the head.
