By Garcia Ni / MPA
In Htilin Township, Magway Region, two members of the People’s Defense Team (Pa Ka Pha) and a driver were murdered by the military junta forces after being captured, according to local sources.
In the afternoon of September 2, 2024, the military convoy of 80 military personnel, which had previously departed from the Yemyetni Police Outpost, arrived near Ti Village, east of Htilin, where three Pa Ka Pha members were reportedly arrested.
“Three Pa Ka Pha members were on patrol near Ti Village when they were surrounded and captured by the military council troops,” the officer from eastern Htilin People’s Defense Team told MPA.
The military column was returning from providing reinforcements to the Yemyetni Police Outpost, having departed on August 27. They also took seven civilians hostage from Hlyawhpyupin Village on September 1 but released them on the way between Pyinpa Village and Ti Village on September 2.
“At around 5 AM today, three individuals were killed at the entrance to Htilin. One was a driver from Sagaing, captured at Nyitshauk Junction, and the other two were Pa Ka Pha members captured near Ti Village. One Pa Ka Pha member managed to escape the night before, but was injured,” a reliable source from Htilin told MPA.
Before the captured individuals were butchered, around 6:30 PM on September 2, there had been a clash between the military convoy and local defense forces, with casualties to the military forces, according to the Yaw Revolution Army (YRA-Htilin).
“At the entrance to Waryinchaing Village, there was an exchange of fire for about 20 minutes with both heavy and light weapons. We heard from internal military sources that two of their soldiers were killed and one injured. None of our forces were harmed,” said Thakin Zaw, a commander from YRA (Tilin).
From August 14 to 17, local defense forces launched the four-day battle at the Yemyetni Police Outpost in Htilin Township, leading the military to provide air support, deploy several bombs, and send reinforcements from Htilin.
During the attack, there were casualties on both sides. Since the junta conducted bombings on areas with non-military targets, one civilian in Tawma Village was killed and two others were injured, including a child.
Htilin has been blockaded by local defense forces since the end of 2023, and supplies were cut off. Hence, the military council troops have frequently launched raids on nearby villages, stealing food supplies, according to local sources.
