Myanmar’s regime reportedly killed nine civilians in Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region, this week and around 8,000 residents from several villages have been displaced by junta raids.
Kyunhla Activists Group, which monitors junta atrocities, stated on Thursday that around 100 troops and pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia members have raided villages near Zigon town in southern Kantbalu Township since Monday.
“They attacked the villages with firearms, explosives and drone bombs before they entered,” a member of the group told The Irrawaddy on Friday.
On Monday morning, the troops raided three villages, looting and burning houses and detaining people who were unable to escape.
They tortured and killed four Thapyay Tha villagers: U Hlaing Zar Zar, who could not speak, 50, U Aung Naing, 45, U Tayoke Gyi, 45, and Ko Myo Htet, 34.
The troops killed two Pho Kone villagers: U Win, 53, and U Chit Win, 60, and three Kyaung Kone villagers: U Thein Toe, 37, U Myint Maung, 45, and U Myo San, 45, according to the Kyunhla group.
The victims were tortured before being killed and some were burned alive, the group said.
Photos suggest some were killed with their hands tied behind their backs and some bodies were burned.
The group quoted residents saying some bodies had multiple stab wounds.
On Friday, the junta troops and around 30 Pyu Saw Htee members raided more villages in the township.
A group member said residents were moving as far from the troops as possible as they were dropping drone bombs on displaced people sheltering in the forest.
In December 2022, regime forces killed elderly citizens and a disabled man and burned down around 800 houses during raids on two villages in southern Kantbalu.
