Claims of brutal treatment by the Myanmar military of captured People’s Defence Force fighters in a village in Sagaing region have surfaced.

Survivors say the Myanmar Army raided U Nauk village in Pale township, Sagaing region and killed the villagers, using various methods and they also burned villagers alive.

While members of the Pale Defense Force were holding a meeting in the village on January 10, the village was bombed by Myanmar aircraft at around 10 am.

A villager who escaped said that those arrested were tortured in various ways during the raid. All those wearing local defense force uniforms were stripped naked, their hands were tied behind their back and they were tied to a pole and burned alive. Some were beheaded.

Comrade Maung Myint, the younger brother of the revolutionary leader Bo Naga from Pale district, was also beheaded and his head was placed on the roof of a toilet, according to villagers who returned to U Nauk village.

At least 20 local PDF fighters were killed and many more are missing after U Nauk village was raided, according to some survivors.

Villagers said that in addition to burning some houses in the village, food and utensils were strewn around the courtyards. Clothing and belongings inside the houses were destroyed. More than 40 cars and motorcycles were also set on fire.

After the Myanmar Army had destroyed the villager’s properties, they stayed in the village for two days. The villagers’ chickens, pigs and cows were killed and eaten. After this, they stormed Naw Yoe and Tone Kan villages on the evening of January 12, and stationed in Nwe Inn village, killing and eating livestock inside the village. As a result of the attacks, the villagers have fled the area.

Sagaing region has seen some serious conflicts since the February 2021 military coup.