Four villagers, including a father and son, were shot dead by junta troops in Hlay Swea village in Ayeyarwady Region’s Kyonpyaw Township on Saturday.
The troops detained older villager U Kyay and a younger man. U Kyay, who sells bananas to retailers in Yangon, was detained on suspicion of transporting weapons.
Villagers said they were false accusations and they confronted troops with slingshots and homemade gas guns.
During the shootout with heavily armed troops, a father and son and a young villager were killed. The troops also shot dead a young villager on a motorbike for refusing to stop.
Villagers said U Kyay is thought to have been killed during interrogation.
A Hlay Swel villager told The Irrawaddy collaborators led troops to the houses of anti-regime protesters.
“There were two military collaborators. Luckily activists from the village had already fled.”
The villager said residents from Kyonpyaw town arrived to fight the troops but they also lacked proper weapons.
The junta-controlled television announced on Saturday night that three villagers were killed during the shootout, two detained and six gas guns seized.
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