Four young novices and two teenage girls in southern Shan State were killed in a bomb explosion triggered by Burmese troops last week, according to local sources.

The two girls were identified as Nang Aye Nwe (15) and Nang Aye Leng (12) from Loi Namtao village, Mongyawn village tract, Mongkeung township, where the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ is active. The names of the novices were unavailable. Over eight villagers were injured.

The incident took place on 19 March at around 2:00 (Burma Standard Time) and was carried out by 80 men from the Kalaw based Light Infantry Division (LID) #55, while they were patrolling the village. The patrol was said to have bombed the village because villagers were supporting the rebels without informing them, said a local villager from Mongkeung said.

“They [soldiers] said the reason was because we let the rebels (SSA) stay in the areas and did not inform them [soldiers],” he said.

The patrol was commanded by Major Htay Aung. The LID# 55 was one of the units that were deployed in the areas facing the Wa areas east of the Salween earlier this month. Since then, the group has been patrolling the areas and reportedly committing several abuses on villagers.

The next day, the same patrol arrested over 20 villagers from Na Lawn village, Pang Kaytu village tract, who were on a hunting trip, said another source.

The villagers were accused of being SSA fighters, and two of them were killed by the soldiers. The victims were Sai Ka Ling and Sai Lern.

The remaining people were told to pay Kyat 30,000 (US$30) each if they wanted to go home, he said. “They were released after they paid Kyat 750,000 ((US$750).”

No one from the village including the village headman dared to complain about the incident for fear of further punishment by the army.