Report: Military council burns village in Myanmar

Local media reported that junta soldiers burned hundreds of homes in northern Myanmar. The three-day raid took place in the villages of Kin, Upper Kin and Kei Tung last week. The military junta in the Southeast Asian country is trying to quell opposition to its rule.

Sagaing District has been the scene of fierce fighting and bloody reprisals since last year’s military coup. Local members of the Armed People’s Resistance Organization (PDF) regularly participate in battles with SCAF forces. According to observers, the Military Council was surprised by the effectiveness of the resistance fighters and repeatedly requested air support for their ground forces.

Residents of Kane village fled on May 26 when soldiers approached and fired into the air, said one resident, who asked not to be named, according to AFP. Drone footage of the village obtained by the news agency showed plumes of smoke hanging over villages in a strip about five miles along the Chindwin River.