Myanmar’s junta reportedly killed 11 civilians and destroyed 100 houses during a raid on a village near Rakhine State’s capital, Sittwe, on Wednesday night.
All Byian Phyu villagers were forced into a field and the houses were searched for evidence of Arakan Army (AA) support. The group is deploying around Sittwe.
Around 30 villagers were taken into custody in Sittwe to the south.
Sittwe resident Ko Lu Hman told The Irrawaddy: “The four men killed were in their 30s and 40s. They checked every cell phone.”
He named the four as U Kyaw Thein, U Kalar Maung, U Kyaw Hla and U Kyaw Win.
More than 400 Sittwe civilians have been detained over alleged AA links since early April with abductions spreading to surrounding villages.
Byian Phyu villagers were held in the sun without food throughout Thursday, Sittwe residents said.
On Friday, junta soldiers took around 150 Byian Phyu villagers to Wingaber field in Sittwe for further interrogation while the others were held near the village, Ko Lu Hman said.
On Friday junta troops bulldozed the 100-house Shwe Min Gan village to the east of Sittwe with a population of around 800.
The village contains a naval base.
Residents say troops are detaining anyone with a non-Sittwe national registration card.
“On Thursday evening, a police convoy seized four civilians and took them away with their cars. The situation is terrible,” Ko Lu Hman said.
Nine out of 17 Rakhine townships are controlled by the AA, all in the north of the state.
Mrauk-U, Minbya, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Rathedaung and Buthidaung towns are held by the separatist group.
Clashes have now spread south to Thandwe Township.
