NAYPYITAW, 14 September 2021, (TON): According to local sources “regime forces burned down an entire village in Sagaing Region’s Myaung Township following three days of clashes triggered by a raid on a police station.”

Residents of Kyauk Yit, located in the southern part of the township, said that soldiers shot at anyone who attempted to put out fires set by troops occupying the village of roughly 300 inhabitants.

Clashes broke out throughout the area last week after the National Unity Government (NUG) announced on September 7 that the people’s resistance war against Myanmar’s ruling military junta had begun.

According to a Kyauk Yit resident who spoke to media “most of the people living in Kyauk Yit had fled as the regime’s forces moved to take control of local villages over the weekend. Ten elderly residents who didn’t manage to escape right away were reported safe.”

The resident said “because we had already fled, we didn’t know they had started to burn down the village until we saw the smoke. They also kept firing gunshots.”

She added “no one dared to go back for those left behind because we knew we would be ambushed if we did. They got out by literally crawling out of their homes on their own.”