Myanmar junta troops have been killing civilians and torching a village to the southwest of Kale town in Sagaing Region without provocation since Saturday, according to residents.
A resident helping displaced people in Kale Township told The Irrawaddy on Monday: “Junta troops continuously shelled Sakkan village before they raided. Residents fled with only clothes on their backs.”
Sakkan is 3km from Kale Town and had around 700 households. Junta troops killed a 67-year-old woman and her 14-year-old grandson and burned their bodies, said residents.
A Kale resident told The Irrawaddy on Monday: “Junta troops are still in the village and no one dares approach. Three older residents and a mentally ill person are still missing.”
Sakkan was first raided in January with around 100 houses burned.
At least five neighboring villages have been emptied since the weekend.
Troops are raiding villages for food, said an official from Kale Township People’s Administration.
“Normally they do not leave their bases but pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias and troops have run out of food due to our blockade. I heard in some Pyu Saw Htee villages salt costs around 35,000 kyats [around US$10] per viss [around 1.6kg] so they are looting villages.”
Military tensions have been running high, said resistance groups.
