The junta’s military reportedly burned down houses in Taung Khamok village in Paungde Township, Bago Region, without a reason.
Around 100 soldiers _ from the Tower Tai camp in Thetpoak village in Paungde Township _ entered and burned down Taung Khamok village at around 3:00 noon on January 4, according to locals.
“18 houses were burned down and the junta troops chose and burned down good houses. All of them are teak houses, and about 500 baskets of rice in 3 houses were burned down. The 15 teak houses, 2 houses, 1 brick house under construction and 2 brick houses were also burned down. And teak planks and teak posts in the house under construction were burned down, and hundreds of thousands lost,” a villager from Taung Khamok village said.
While the soldiers were burning Taung Khamok village, the PDF troops came and opened fire, and they retreated to Yepsalm village, Tower Camp.
While the soldiers were burning down Taung Khamok village, the PDF troops came and opened fire. So, they reportedly retreated to Tower Tai camp in Thetpoak village.
“These soldiers came intentionally to set fire to villages. When they go out for patrol, they have backpacks. Now they don’t have backpacks. They came out specifically to set fire. I heard the sounds of snipers fired by PDF. I don’t know how long they were shooting. I also heard the sounds of the soldiers firing back,” a local news source said.
Taung Khamok village is an agricultural village with about 300 houses. Most of the residents no longer live in the village. Only a small number of villagers live in the village and reportedly flee to safety if the junta troops enter and patrol.
In July 2023, the junta’s military reportedly burned down the home and grain of a resident of Taung Khamok village.