The war has reached Saaing on the other side of the Irrawaddy River, adjacent to Mandalay, Myanmar’s largest city. Saaing was formerly the capital of Sagaing. Now the rebels are setting fire to the villages in the west and north of Saaing. In the north, the villages on the side of Minkon Taungro were burned months ago, and these days, villages in the Padu village group on the west side of Sagaing City are being burned. Therefore, the people of those villages have to come and take refuge in the monasteries in Saaing city. The army did not release them, raided the monasteries on Saaing Mountain and even arrested some of the people. Villages are being burned down and houses are being stolen and items are being taken to the army.
