A military column burned down some civilian houses and a tea shop and shot and killed three members of People’s Defense Force (PDF) in a village in Monywa Township in Sagaing Region, according to locals.
At 5 am on 10 June, the military column burned down two civilian houses and a tea shop in Htanaungtaw(North) village in Monywa Township. They also shot and killed three members of local defense forces who were on guard duty, said a villager.
“Three PDF members on guard duty in the north of the village were shot dead. They (soldiers) entered the village by firing shots constantly. Three PDF members killed are not from my village,” the villager said.
A local from Hta Naung Taw (North) village said, “The military column with a strength of over 40 junta soldiers who left Mau gate entered Hta Naung Taw (North) village and shot them dead.”
As a result of the shooting by military council forces, one PDF member was fatally shot in the head, while the other two succumbed to gunshot wounds in the chest, locals said.
“The junta soldiers burned down the house of teacher Daw Sandar Win who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). No one lives there. Her house was burned as someone told junta soldiers about it. Another house near the teacher’s house was also burned down,” said a villager.
When the military council troops entered Hta Naung Taw (North) village, some of the villagers fled to safety, but others stayed behind.
As they departed the village, the military column arrested and used several villagers as human shields and hostages. Then, when they arrived at Mau Gate, the villagers were released, the residents said.
According to the villagers, the bodies of the three PDF members killed were taken away by the relevant officials when the military council soldiers left the village.
Hta Naung Taw (North) village is a large village with more than 500 houses, and the military council troops often enter the village.
The village faced arson attacks twice—one in 2023 and one in 2024, said the villagers.
Two PDF members were killed and 2 others injured when the military council bombed a meeting of the defense force in Nyaung Pin Te village in Monywa Township on 8 June.
On 9 June, a military column of around 50 junta soldiers raided Thet Kei Kyin village in Monywa Township, killing a 30-year-old man.
Sent by NMG