People’s Defense Forces which have been conducting an offensive against the military council for more than one month to capture Htigyaing Township in the upper Sagaing Region, have suffered casualties due to the military council’s constant aerial bombardments.
The military council’s aerial bombardments directly hit the place where the comrades were stationed. The PDFs have assumed that the military’s aerial bombardments are not indiscriminate shootings, and there may be the military informants among the people rescued from the Htigyaing-capture battle.
The Shanni Voice interviewed Ma Aye Mon (alias), a Htigyaing local, about the latest situation.
Q: May I know the deaths of PDF members due to the military council’s airstrike in Htigyaing?
A: On the evening of 9 December, the military’s two planes dropped bombs on Kanni, Chatethin and Indaung villages on the eastern bank of Ayeyarwaddy River, about 10 miles from the town. A bomb landed and exploded on a clinic in Indaung village, killing a PDF member who was receiving medical treatment and wounding three others. Three comrades again were wounded while receiving medical treatments. The incident is not so far from the place where the IDPs are taking shelter. At 12.30 pm on 10 December, the military dropped two bombs weighing 500 ton with two flights in Myataung village in the battle with PDFs. Two PDF members were also killed.
Q: I heard that the PDFs are interrogating the IDPs following the casualties of comrades in the bombardment. May I know how the PDFs are interrogating IDPs?
A: Yes. It is true. The PDFs are carrying out inspections without beating them. The PDFs are carrying out the scrutiny of the people. The PDFs rescued the IDPs trapped in the fighting. There is the news that the people from the army and PyuSawHtee members are among the IDPs. But at that time, I didn’t hear any kind of inspection. The scrutiny of IDPs is due to the fact that the army carried out shootings at a specific target. Recently, I heard that the PDFs are conducting such inspections because the army may carry out more airstrikes at specific locations.
Q: The military council is now shooting from the air. So, what is the situation of the battle between the two sides?
A: Now, this side (revolutionary forces) have stopped fighting. The army is carrying out shootings almost every day. On 19 December, the army’s planes fired shots in the morning and in the evening. On 20 December, the army did the same. The army fired shots at around 11 am and in the evening by jet fighters on 19 December.
Q: Currently, what is the latest situation about the military council’s offensive in Htigyaing?
A: The military council doesn’t want to lose Htigyaing because it is important to them. So, they are fighting. Many houses have already been burned down. I think there is nothing as bad as Htigyaing. The army torches the town almost every day. Almost all houses have been burned down. According to the estimate, three quarters of the town have been burned down. They (military council force) have retaken the town of Htigyaing with more forces. I also heard that the military has prepared for the defensive through the reinforcement of troops in Myataung village on the other bank of the river.
Q: Htigyaing fighting started on 8 November. What is the situation of locals?
A: Most of the locals have fled since 6 November two days before the fighting. Around 12 people were killed by the military council’s aerial bombardments and fighting. Almost all people have fled as the remaining people don’t dare to stay there.
sent by Shanni voice