Thousands of Sagaing Homes Lost in Myanmar Junta Arson Attacks

By The Irrawaddy 14 February 2023

More than 2,000 Sagaing Region buildings have reportedly been destroyed in three days during Myanmar junta arson attacks on 14 villages.

Martial law was imposed in 37 townships in Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions and Chin and Kayah states on February 2 and arson attacks have risen since.

Sagaing has suffered from the highest number of arson attacks with more than 43,000 buildings destroyed.

Since Saturday around 70 troops have been torching Katha Township villages, according to the Katha Township People’s Administration Group.

Around 500 houses in Mal Ngo, Inn Gyi, Tharyar Kone and Tattu Lal Akhin Su villages were burned down, it said.

Troops and Pyu Saw Htee militia allies torched houses and a school in Min Kan Gyi village in Khin U Township on Monday, according to Khin-U True News that monitors junta atrocities.

Regime forces also torched Lat Pan Hla and Laung She villages.

The troops torched the tents of fleeing villagers and looted food from five villages over the weekend, True News reported.

More than 1,600 houses were reportedly burned down in Shwebo Township on Sunday during a junta raid. The large Kyar Ywar village, which has more than 1,000 homes, was among the villages targeted, according to media reports.

Three older civilians died in the raids, residents told the media.

Kyar Ywar has previously faced two junta arson attacks.

On Monday troops torched Kyauk Myint, Tint Tal and Ngarsukone villages in Shwebo Township, the Wetlet Information Network reported.

Junta forces have burned down an estimated 55,484 houses across the country since the 2021 coup, Data for Myanmar reported in January.

Sagaing Region suffered the most with 43,232 buildings burned, followed by Magwe Region either 8,863 and Chin State with 1,484 houses.

Ignoring international criticism, the junta continues arson attacks, airstrikes and bombardments.