Myanmar junta troops burned down at least 200 houses at a Myingyan Township village in Mandalay Region on November 8 in which at least two people died, according to an activist group.
U Zaw Myo Naing, 33, a father of four, was among around 5,000 Pyar Ywar villagers who had earlier fled into nearby forests but on November 9 he returned for his bull and to find food.
He was shot dead by troops in the village, said a resident.
“He thought the troops had left. He took some essentials but the troops saw him near Shwe Thein Taw pagoda and shot him without any questions. He died on the spot,” he said.
A video on social media shows his mother mourning over his body before she faints.
Residents said Daw Shwe Kyi, 75, who had suffered a stroke, died in an arson attack.
“Her family could not get her out of the house during the raid and they thought the troops might not torch the village. They heard she was dead the next morning,” a resident said.
The Light Infantry Division 33 troops clashed with resistance fighters and suffered some casualties on November 8 and then raided Pyar Ywar in the evening, according to the Myingyan People’s Movement Committee.
Residents said more than 30 troops remained in the village and were reinforced by three more trucks in the morning.
Three women were injured in junta shooting and their condition is unknown, according to a committee member.
“They allowed us to take away Ko Zaw Myo Naing’s body yesterday. They don’t allow anyone in now. We don’t know what happened to the three women and we worry that they will have been sexually abused by the troops,” she said.
Pyar Ywar, about 20km northeast of Myingyan, is a large village with over 1,000 houses and historic temples and pagodas.
