Mizzima

Myanmar junta troops have been accused of massacring 18 civilians including children by burning them to death in Nyaung Pin Thar village in Htantapin Township, Bago Region. 

The attack happened on 10 May. 

On this day, Karen National Union (KNU) fighters and PDF forces attacked Military Council troops from two sides in Nyaung Pin Tha Village seriously injuring and killing junta troops. 

“They (deceased) met with military column and were killed. Currently, the entire village ran away. In the battle, about 20-30 military soldiers were killed,” said a spokesperson for the Htantabin Township People’s Defense Force to Mizzima.

The battle ran from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm during which military troops rounded up and burnt to death 18 people.

Five underaged children were included among the 18 innocent people and the youngest was five years old, according to the spokesperson. Photos of smoldering bodies at the site have been posted to social media. 

Fighting has intensified in the area following air attacks and artillery barrages that started on 2 May.

The military troops of Infantry Battalion 73 and Light Infantry Battalion 360 marched a column into Htantabin Township causing an intense battle with the KNU and PDF joint forces.

Since the 2021 coup, the Military Council has reportedly carried out 64 massacres killing 766 innocent civilians, according to the Ministry of Human Rights of the National Unity Government (NUG) on 15 March.

Then on 11 April, the Pazigyi air strike killed nearly over 160 civilians, setting the record for the highest number of casualties in a massacre of innocent people by the Military Council.