Kyauk Taw: At least five civilians have been injured after a group of soldiers from Military Operation Command (9) beat them after seeing them in downtown Kyauktaw in northwestern Arakan State in Burma.

Two civilians who sustained serious injuries in the attack by the soldiers have been hospitalized, reported a Kyauktaw resident who witnessed the soldiers' attack.

"It was around 9:00 pm on 7 March when a group of soldiers in uniforms led by Captain Kyaw Kyaw Lwin from MOC-9 came into downtown Kyauktaw in their army vehicle and beat the civilians they saw on their way. One driver and one assistant from Shwe Kant Kaw bus station have been seriously injured and have been hospitalized," said the resident.

The source said that the MOC soldiers attacked all the civilians after a problem with customers at a karaoke and massage parlor run by the MOC in downtown Kyauktaw on the same night.

The In-Charge of the Shwe Kant Kaw bus station was said to have been involved in a problem at the parlor. The soldiers had stopped one of the busses of Shwe Kant Kaw that returned from Rangoon near the station and beat the driver and assistant after they could not find their supervisor.

"Two youths nearby - Thein Maung Hla and Ah Bu - were also injured, and another two men having tea in U Maung Chay's teashop were also beaten by the soldiers," said the resident.

Other residents from downtown Kyauktaw have confirmed the attacks and said that the soldiers had also insulted the residents by shouting abuse at them.

It was also said that the commander of the MOC paid 20,000 kyat each to the injured driver and assistant as compensation for the attack. However, no resident was able to confirm what started the problem between the customers and soldiers at the parlor run by the MOC-9.