By Ra Wai / MPA
The junta forces reportedly burned down Tha Hpan Thar Village in Nganzun Township, Mandalay Region, before advancing to Ywar Thit Village, where they seized food supplies that residents had stored for safekeeping, according to local reports.”
According to a revolutionary fighter from the local resistance group, this morning, around 9 a.m. (5 November), a column of junta force from Ngan Myar Gyi Village entered Tha Hpan Thar Village and set it on fire without provocation. Details regarding the extent of the damage and the number of houses affected remain unknown.
“Ngan Myar Gyi and Tha Hpan Thar are close to each other. There was no fighting, they just came and burned it down. We do not yet know the extent of the damage. Since it is between us and them, we could not get closer as they have restricted access,” he informed MPA.
After setting fire to Tha Hpan Thar Village, the junta column entered Ywar Thit Village and confiscated food supplies stored at the local monastery by villagers before returning to Ngan Myar Gyi Village.
“They took all the supplies, using trucks and tractors to carry them away,” he continued.
Due to the presence of junta troops stationed in Ngan Myar Gyi, residents from Ngan Myar Gyi, Moe Taung, Ywar Thit, and Tha Hpan Thar villages have fled, while the military continues to transport items from within these villages.
“The residents are gone. We evacuated as many people as we could. The military continues to hold these areas, collecting and transporting items from the villages to Son Pyu Saw Htee Village,” he stated.
Following the combined PDF forces’ attack on the Ngan Myar Gyi police station on 19 Aug, which successfully seized the outpost, the junta launched a large-scale counteroffensive.
On 22 Oct, PDF troops withdrew, allowing the military to establish a permanent presence in Ngan Myar Gyi.
Ngan Myar Gyi Village is a large community with over 1,500 households.