At least 20,000 residents of around 20 villages fled their homes in southern Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region, during around 10 days of Myanmar junta raids.
More than 171 houses were set on fire during the raids, according to a resistance member.
“Two groups of junta troops have been raiding our township since late April. They have torched nearly seven villages,” he said.
Light Infantry Division 368 set fire to houses in Chin Myit Kyin village on May 7 and raided Nyaung Pin Seik and Boe Boe villages on Wednesday.
On Thursday, junta troops torched a school and five houses in Tha Yet Khaung, according to the Kyun Hla Activist Group.
Tha Yet Khaung was also raided on April 29.
Around 100 junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee militia members raided Hpa Lon Chaing village on Thursday and torched around 20 houses.
Another unit of troops raided Htauk Shar Aing village and detained around 11 civilians and torched 83 houses on May 7, according to the activist group.
Light Infantry Division 361 carried out the raids and seized detainees, whose condition is unknown, according to the group.
The troops clashed with a resistance force at Hpoke Kone village on Thursday and retreated to Kha Ohn Tar and burned down around 10 village houses.
They also burned down 31 Hpoke Kone houses on May 1, according to residents.
Data for Myanmar reported that by February 28 at least 60,459 houses had been destroyed in arson attacks, of which 47,778 were in Sagaing Region.
