NAYPYITAW, 02 October 2021, (TON): A village in Magway Region’s Gangaw Township was raided for the fifth time since June, according to residents and resistance fighters based in the area.

Residents of Hnan Khar said “the village was shelled for a full hour from around 9am before regime forces arrived and set fire to eight houses a few hours later.”

The barrage appeared to be aimed at flushing out resistance groups operating in the area.

A member of a local People’s Defence Force (PDF), daid “they kept firing into the forest and areas where we were engaging in defensive warfare. They also used machine guns.”

According to the PDF member, there were no clashes in the area before the attack, but 15 soldiers traveling south towards the village had recently been killed by landmines.

He added that besides burning down houses, the troops who raided the village also stole eight motorcycles and abused some elderly people who were taking shelter at a monastery in the eastern part of the village.

“They threatened some feeble old people, took their phones, and also broke some things at the monastery,” he said, adding that one 60-year-old man was beaten and arrested.