A total of 57 houses were burned down in Kanhla village and two locals reportedly killed, following fighting between the military council and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) between Kanhla and Kyarkan villages in northern Thandaung Region (Special Region) in Taungoo District in eastern Bago Region.
The military council carried out additional reinforcement following a series of skirmishes since 8 February. On 10 February, the military council burned down Kanhla village which has nearly 100 households, according to local news sources.
A local man said: “The fighting came to an end in the evening. When the night got dark, the military council sent its reinforcements. The junta troops burned the village while collecting the wounded. The village has more than 90 households. A total of 57 houses were burned down.”
The sudden fighting between the military council and the KNLA forced villagers to flee to safety.
In addition, a 30-year-old man brought by the military council as a guide was also killed in the fighting, the locals said.
A local close to the family of the woman killed in the arson said: “The villagers had to run away in a hurry as fighting erupted suddenly. The female victim was paralyzed. She died in the fire as her family locked her up in the house assuming that the army would not burn the house.
No one was wounded in the arson. All villagers have fled to safer places, local residents said.
In January this year, the military council burned down more than 100 houses in Kayah Pyone Chaung, Shan Pyone Chaung, Ma Yoe Khon and Tha Phan Zin villages in Htantabin Township in Yedashe Township in Taungoo District, accusing locals of having ties to revolutionists.
In the arson attacks, more than 100 houses were burned down, according to locals.
Sent by KIC