Myanmar’s junta soldiers gang-raped the mother of a baby in front of her husband in Tedim Township, Chin State, on Thursday night, according to the Chin media.
The alleged incident in Akllui village on the Kale-Tedim highway involved the 27-year-old mother and three soldiers while her husband, 34, was forced to crouch in the toilet, the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) for Kalay, Kabaw and Gangaw reported. The group said it received a victim’s report and was investigating the case.
The husband was injured in the head after being hit with rifle butts and plates.
Two of the soldiers returned to the house and raped the victim again later that night, the CDF said.
The three soldiers took a phone, power bank, 18,000 kyats (US$10) and golden earrings, according to the Zalen news outlet, quoting a relative. The couple and their three children have been evacuated to a safe location, according to the CDF.
On Thursday night, at least five houses were raided and looted by regime forces stationed in the village, according to the media. The junta forces left the village on Saturday.
The CDF condemned the attack on the ethnic Chin woman, saying it insulted the whole community.
The civilian resistance group has vowed to take revenge on the regime forces for its sexual abuse of women.
Sisters 2 Sisters, a group raising awareness on excessive force and sexual violence by regime forces, condemned the rape.
The group, which promotes solidarity in fighting systemic oppression, said all sexual violence during conflict is a war crime and a crime against humanity, breaching international humanitarian law.
It said the soldiers responsible must be punished.
On Nov. 7, a junta soldier raped a 62-year-old woman after asking the victim for vegetables at a village in Kutkai Township, Shan State. Myanmar’s junta confirmed the rape case on Nov. 11.
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