One hundred junta troops marching from Myaing Township to Pale Township, Sagaing Division set fire to houses in Mwe Ton village at 8pm on January 31.

At 1am on February 1 the same troops entered Pan Ywar Village, a large village of about 800 houses some two miles west of Mwe Ton Village, and also set it on fire.

"Mwe Ton village was set on fire like a cross sign. It looked like the whole village was on fire. They set fire to Pan Ywar village at around 1AM. People were able to escape, but nothing could be saved, it all burned. Some villagers went back to the village and put out the fire. So, junta soldiers came back again and shot the villagers", a local said.

The army destroyed about 200 houses in each village and thousands of people were displaced.

Mwe Ton and Pan Ywar villages are just over two miles away from Pale township. On the morning of February 1 the troops left to go to Ta Nai Village, according to a local resident.