Soldiers shot at two civilians in their home while patrolling in a town in northern Shan State past curfew, according to a man familiar with the incident.
“I heard gunfire around 8:30pm last night (April 4). We didn’t dare go out to see what was going on because it was night and martial law was in effect,” said the man from Kyaukme town, where the attack took place. He said a woman has a gunshot wound in her waist and a man in his thigh. Both are receiving medical care at the hospital.
Since the military regime enacted martial law soldiers patrol the streets every night, sometimes indiscriminately firing at civilians in their homes.
On April 3, armed forces arrested three youths in Lashio town.
Maung Khant Myo Kyaw, 18, Maung Oak New, 19, and Ma Cherry Kyaw Thinn, 21, were picked up in their homes in Ward 5, 6, 7 at about 2pm after taking part in a peaceful demonstration against the regime. A resident told SHAN he suspects someone informed authorities they joined the protest.
According to locals, many are in hiding because armed forces are trying to arrest protesters and organizers. Three young people were gunned down by armed forces at a demonstration in Lashio on March 27. Authorities arrested many youths for protesting against military’s rule in Burma.