Myanmar Junta Forces Torch Over 80 Homes in Sagaing’s Myaung Township

By NORA 9 March 2023

Regime troops raided at least 10 villages and torched at least 89 houses in Myaung Township, Sagaing Region over four days this week, according to local resistance forces.

A spokesperson from Civilian Defence and Security Organization of Myaung (CDSOM) said at least 15 houses from Yathit Village and 74 houses from Chaung Zinn Village were destroyed in the regime’s arson attacks.

Residents of Chaung Zin and Yathit villages where houses were burned down by junta troops are now clearing debris and setting up makeshift homes in the daytime. However, they have to flee for their safety when night falls due to the fear of regime drone attacks and artillery strikes, according to local people.

Two columns of regime troops from Light Infantry Battalion 16 and Pyu Saw Htee militia advanced toward Pauk Chaung Village on March 4 at around 3.00 pm and were backed up by another junta column from Kyauk Yit Village, according to witnesses.

Bo Kyar Thit, CDSOM spokesperson, said the local resistance forces in the area joined together and attacked the regime base in Kyauk Yit Village in Myaung Township on March 4.

“All local resistance forces in Myaung Township coalesced to ambush the regime’s base in Kyauk Yit Village on Saturday night at around 9.00 pm after they occupied Pauk Chaung. The attack took 30 minutes. Two junta police officers were killed during our joint attack and a member of a local resistance group was injured,” he said.

The Irrawaddy can’t independently verify the claim.

The regime troops conducted raids and fired artillery shells for the next three days, raiding another nine villages across Myaung Township, injuring two resistance forces, he added.

“Two members from our organization were injured due to the regime’s artillery attack on Tuesday. A civilian from Pauk Chaung Village was also arrested by regime troops,” he said.

The regime troops left Myaung Township and moved toward to their base in Kyi Village on Tuesday, according to the local sources.