Myanmar Junta Continues to Burn Down Sagaing Villages

By The Irrawaddy 17 March 2022

The regime forces burned down about 30 buildings in two villages in Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region, on March 16. At least two civilians have been killed so far this week.

About 50 regime troops and Pyu Saw Htee militia members based at Ban Kwee village in the township since late February attacked several villages, killing civilians and stealing food.

Yinmabin resistance fighters attacked junta troops on Tuesday night, prompting the regime to send reinforcements from Monywa, the Sagaing capital.

A Htan Sin villager said junta allies in plainclothes burned down her village.

“They burned Htan Sin and Ban Kwee North villages, including houses and warehouses. It is all our livelihoods,” the villager said.

The regime forces are attacking seven large, affluent villages on the Monywa-Yar highway.

On Monday, two civilians were shot in the head when they met regime forces on the road after feeding their livestock.

“Another villager was shot in the abdomen when he met soldiers after feeding his pigs. He is in a critical condition,” said the Htan Sin villager.

More than 1,500 residents from the seven villages have left their homes in recent weeks but many farmers still try to care for their livestock.

The regime since March 4 has cut mobile internet across Sagaing Region, except in Monywa, Sagaing, Kale and Shwebo, where its battalions have been based.

Junta forces have torched at least 6,158 civilian homes since last year’s coup with Sagaing Region suffering nearly 60 percent of the damage, according to the independent research group, Data for Myanmar.

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