Rebels left behind are said to have been shot. The soldiers then turned on a group of civilians hiding in the bushes, eyewitnesses told local media. These civilians were allegedly tied up, shot and set on fire. Some of them would have been burned alive.
It appears to be the second shocking attack by the Myanmar army in a short time. Last Saturday drove into an army truck on a group of protesters in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. Five people were killed.
Since the army’s coup on February 1, the military regime has continued to struggle to quell the resistance. It is estimated that at least 1,300 people have been killed in unrest, rocket attacks and fighting. A few weeks ago, the army launched a major operation against rebel groups and ethnic independence movements. Soldiers are said to have burned down several villages, which also killed civilians.
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