Myanmar Junta Forces Kill Seven Civilians Including a Child in Sagaing Region

By The Irrawaddy 6 June 2022

At least seven civilians, including a child and two senior citizens, have been killed by Myanmar regime forces over the last week in three Sagaing Region townships.

On early Saturday morning, Daw Shi, a 78-year-old-women who had been left behind by people fleeing Thargaya Village in Sagaing’s Khin-U Township, was found dead after 100 military regime soldiers raided and torched the village, according to residents.

Regime forces raided the village last Thursday night and torched homes the following morning. Around 60 houses were burned down in the arson attacks.

“Without any clashes, they [regime troops] entered the village opening fire. The victim died in the arson attacks as she was too ill to run away,” said a villager.

The villagers also lost food supplies, cows and harvested rice in the arson attacks.

On June 1, a family of three including a child died when junta soldiers randomly shelled the residential areas of Koehtaungboh Village in Sagaing’s Kantbalu Township with 60mm mortar shells, said the Kantbalu Tiger Rangers, a local resistance group.

U Kyaw Soe, 56, his daughter Ma Lae Lae Soe, 26 and grandson Mg Zan Phone Pyae, 8, died after their home was hit by mortar shells.

A combined force of local resistance groups attacked the regime troops on June 2 and 3 in response to the arbitrary shelling, said the Kantbalu Tiger Rangers. During the fighting, three helicopter gunships were employed to attack the resistance fighters.

“We attacked them as we couldn’t stand for their atrocities in the village. We had to retreat when they used gunships” said Bo Tiger, a Kantbalau Tiger Rangers fighter.

Three civilians including a woman and a senior citizen were murdered on June 2 by regime soldiers during a raid on Kyauk Taing Village in Sagiang’s Wetlet Township, according to locals and media reports.

Over 90 houses were burned down during the raid. Afterwards, the remains of a 60-year-old male villager who had previously suffered a stroke were found in a torched house.

Locals said a female villager was also killed and burned along with her motorbike. The body of an unidentified man who had suffered serious head injuries was also found in the village.

Junta troops have relentlessly committed atrocities against the civilian population in Sagaing, including arbitrary killings, air and artillery strikes and the burning and looting of houses and villages. The regime has also cut mobile phone and internet service in dozens of Sagaing townships.

As of June 3, at least 1,887 people had been slain by junta forces, while almost 14,000 people including democratically-elected government leaders have been arrested or detained since last year’s coup, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.