The military column patrolling with a large force to villages on the east bank of Sittaung River in Yedashae Township, Bago Region, killed 10 people and set fire to villages within half a month, according to local people.
According to a resident who fled from Ywa Thet village, the military troops started to patrol on April 17, and continued to patrol on May 2, so more than 10,000 people from 20 villages have fled.
“We heard that 5 people, trapped in Ywa Thet village, were killed. In addition, a monk and 3 civilians from Kone village were killed. Villages have been destroyed by fire. Most of the nearby villages of Ywa Thet, Pantauk Kone, andYedashe were destroyed. We can only say the exact situation when we can go back home,” he told MPA.
The information officer of Battalion-3501, Division 4, said that the military column and the resistance forces are continuously fighting, and the resistance comrades who are fighting are having a hard time due to the imbalance of weapons, despite the strong forces.
“We have not enough weapons, so we can’t stop the column. They (junta) opened fire with drones, heavy weapons, and planes. The column had arrived at Aye Tharyar, Shwe Pyi Thar, and Thetcha Seik. I heard at least 10 people were killed. The exact details can be told when the military situation is calm,” he explained.
U Tin Oo, the Bago Region’s Commerce and Industry Minister, called the people living in the villages on the east bank of the Sittaung River to be terrorist insurgents, so the people should be careful because the junta will treat all people as the enemy and attack everything possible.
“People are used as human shields while patrolling. They (junta) dare to patrol using human shields. And they steal public properties from the homes of people fleeing the war and sharing it with others like great heroes,” he said.
The battalion 3501 – company 4, Kiku column, Pawar Ni column, Nay Pyi Taw central region- PDF attacked jointly the junta column patrolling villages, resulting many casualties from the junta military, and 6 comrades of the resistance forces were killed.
Translator: Grace
