The military council burned down more than 20 civilian houses in the eastern part of Katha Township of Sagaing Region and killed a political activist by chopping his body into pieces, according to locals.
On 22 July, the military council’s Ngarohn-121 force burned down 22 locked houses in Indayant village in the eastern part of Katha Township, a local woman said.
The military council members arrived in Thaechan at Katha jetty. A group of soldiers entered a mango plantation near the bank of Palwayshwe river while another group burned down shops in Indayant and the houses in the village, locals said.
After the military council’s Ngaroh-121 burned down more than 20 houses in Indayant village in the eastern bank of Katha Township, the soldiers returned to Katha-309 military base at night on 22 July.
A local said: “The military council took political activist Ko Zaw Naing to the interrogation center one month ago. Then, the military council killed Ko Zaw Naing by chopping him into pieces. A bag containing his body parts was put in a junction. Members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) found his dead body and collected it. The military council arrested him at the entry and exit of the town near Myaseesar.”
The military council arrested Ko Zaw Naing in June, accusing him of having ties to the KIA and the People’s Defense Force (PDF), according to locals.
The military council killed him at the interrogation center on 21 July.
The military council is conducting offensives in Katha Township although there are no battles between the military council and the KIA and the PDF, according to locals.
The military columns entered the villages and looted valuables in the villages along the roads and burned down the houses, locals said.
In addition, the military council often arrests people on suspicion of having ties to the KIA and the PDF, they said.
Sent by NMG