Myanmar junta troops have burned 12 villages in the west of Depayin Township, Sagaing Region, this month and burned alive two men in their 80s, according to a rescue team.
On Monday, junta troops torched 72 homes in Sat Pyar Kyin village and U Phoe Tar, 84, died because he could not escape.
Troops also torched homes in Taing Lay and Chaung Nar villages.
The Depayin Brothers rescue team and resistance fighters entered Taing Lay after the troops left and found the burned body of U Wun Mya, 85.
They saved a pregnant woman and an elderly woman who were trapped by fire, according to residents.
At least six Taing Lay and Chaung Nar villagers are missing, according to the Depayin Brothers.
“We found an old man alive in Taing Lay. He said he and his son were hiding while the troops were setting fire to houses and catching chickens and other livestock to eat. The soldiers saw his son and detained him,” said Ko Gyi Phyo, a Depayin Brothers leader.
He said they did not know about the other five people.
Junta troops have torched villages in western Depayin since January 3 almost every day and around 10,000 residents have fled, according to the Depayin Brothers. The group said troops torched 62 villages in Depayin Township before January, burning an estimated 47,000 houses.
Ko Gyi Phyo said junta troops had carried out arson attacks in the east of the township in December after clashes with resistance groups but there had been no fighting this month.
“The situation is terrible. The troops are targeting civilians and torching their houses almost every day. It is hard for people to live. We can no longer help them effectively,” he said.