The Military Council troops that burned Nyaung Pin Thar village in Htigyaing Township in Sagaing Region also set fire to another village called Me Za Li, locals claimed.

On April 2nd at around 2:00pm the Junta soldiers set fire to the village of Me Za Li. An hour later another village named Yadana Aung (Sittang) was also torched.

“ We have received reports that the troops PM. The exact number of houses that were burned down is still unknown. It has been reported divided themselves into two groups and set fire to Me Za Li village at around 2:00pm and that there were around 100 soldiers present in the village”, a villager said.

On the night of April 2nd, the extent of damage caused by the fire in Me Za Li village was still unknown. Due to the presence of Military Council troops in the area, it is currently unsafe for anyone to investigate the situation and assess the number of houses that were burned down.

The Military Council troops responsible for the burning of Me Za Li village were also the ones who had previously set fire to approximately 400 homes in Nyaung Pin Thar village.

The Military Council troops that set fire to Nyaung Pin Thar, Me Za Li and Yadana Aung villages in Htigyaing Township also shot dead two members of the pro-Junta Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in Yadana Aung village on April 1st, a local said.

“Even individuals who supported the Military Council were not spared. Among the Military Council troops were members of the Pyu-Saw-Htee militia, who hailed from the Nga Mine Shay, Nga Mine Pu, and Nga Mine To areas, and it is alleged that they were involved in the killings”, he commented.

Locals reported that around 100 soldiers, sent as reinforcements by the Ngar Oh 121st Battalion in two vehicles, had also arrived in the region.

According to local sources, there are reports of casualties among the Military Council’s convoy, which arrived as reinforcements. The convoy was allegedly intercepted by the local People’s Defense Forces (PDF), but the exact details are still unclear. The situation in the region is becoming increasingly tense.

The Military Council’s reinforcements have been deployed near Kyat Tun Khin and Pein Ne Kone hamlets, while the PDFs are believed to be dispersed and on the move. Locals are concerned that this could lead to clashes between the two sides at any moment.