A family of four were killed on Monday night and two other relatives, including a two-year-old child, seriously injured after their house in Natogyi Township, Mandalay Region was hit by random junta gunfire.
U Bo Khin, 76, Daw Than, 75, their son U Maung Tun, 48, and daughter-in-law Daw Maw Htay, 30, died after regime forces deployed at a school in Shaw Phyu Village opened fire randomly at 11pm on Monday night, according to villagers.
The family’s house in the north of the village was hit and damaged by explosions. The two-year-old son of U Maung Tun and Daw Maw Htay was seriously injured, as well as a 53-year-old daughter of U Bo Khin and Daw Than, a family member told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
The toddler lost two fingers, while the woman suffered severe facial injuries. Both are now being treated at a Mandalay hospital.
Junta forces sealed off the damaged house on Tuesday and no one has dared to visit the house, villagers said.
Residents of Shaw Phyu Village said that the junta troops opened fire for no reason after they had been drinking alcohol and playing guitar. Villagers said dozens of shots were fired and that there were numerous explosions.
“They opened fire without any reason. There are no People’s Defense Forces here. The villagers live here peacefully,” said one resident.
Military regime forces have escalated their arrests, attacks, arbitrary killings and raids across the country since the parallel National Unity Government declared a nationwide defensive war against the junta on September 7.
At the same time, civilian resistance fighters have stepped up their operations targeting junta troops and military-owned infrastructure such as Mytel telecom masts.
As of Tuesday, 1,114 people have been slain by junta forces, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which is compiling lists of deaths and arrests since the military’s February 1 coup.
Another 6,666 people including elected government leaders have been detained by the junta and over 1,900 people are the subject of arrest warrants.
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