Junta forces have reportedly been raiding villages in Tabayin Township of Sagaing Region since clashes with local resistance fighters early this week, according to local sources.
A local resistance fighter died, another was injured and three were detained in clashes with junta troops in rural parts of Tabayin on Monday. Two junta troops died and five were seriously injured in the fighting, according to the township People’s Defense Force.
Local residents have fled their homes after junta troops opened fire in several villages. “They have cut off the electricity. Junta troops came to attack us because they don’t want to go to the front line, and also perhaps because two daughters of a military informant were killed,” said a resident of Seb Pyar Kyin Village.
On June 13, the elder brother of the Inpin Village administrator was shot dead and two daughters of the Kyii Village administrator were stabbed to death. One of the daughters was reportedly a teacher working for the military regime.
The junta’s raids followed their deaths, according to local residents. Junta troops also searched and looted houses in Nyaung Hla Village on Monday.
“They raided our village and arrested a villager. They made targeted searches based on tip-offs from military informants. They broke open shops and stole things,” said a Nyaung Hla resident.
Locals from more than a dozen villages in Tabayin have fled their homes since the raids.