Myanmar: Military rulers accuse democracy supporters of murder, guerrilla group denies allegations

Myanmar’s military-controlled government has accused pro-democracy fighters of killing 15 civilians in a night-time mortar attack in the restive region of the country. At the same time, the guerrilla group has denied these allegations.

A report on Thursday said so-called People’s Defense Forces attacked Ngwe Twin village in the southern part of Sagaing region at 4 a.m. Wednesday, killing 15 people and wounding seven others, including three monks .

The group that emerged after power was snatched from Aung San Suu Kyi

Organized armed PDF groups have emerged across the country after the military seized power from the democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. The groups support the pro-democracy National Unity Government, which opposes military rule. However, they work differently than this.

PDF group linked itself to other groups

The NUG did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the attack. Since the military’s seizure of power, widespread peaceful opposition to the takeover has turned into armed resistance in many parts of the country. Also, PDF groups have aligned themselves with a number of armed ethnic minority groups that have been fighting for greater autonomy in Myanmar for decades.

Brutal anti-terrorist operation launched

In response, the military has launched a brutal counter-insurgency campaign in the countryside, including burning down villages and driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Sagaing is Myanmar’s historical and bastion of armed resistance to the ruling military, but Ngwe Twin village is one of the few sympathetic to the government, with residents allegedly assisting the army’s counter-insurgency operations.

The village was reportedly targeted because a pro-military militia operating from there was assisting the army and harassing pro-democracy villagers.

PDF group posted on Facebook

The fighter, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the military, said all 15 of those killed were members of a pro-army militia. An official said resistance forces had evacuated children and the elderly from the village during the fighting and there were no immediate reports of any civilian casualties.

Another PDF group involved in the attack, known as the People’s Servant Revolution-Vetlet, said on its Facebook page that 19 members of the army and its affiliated militia were killed and 20 others were wounded.

More than 3,000 people have been killed since the army seized power

A family member who lost his 14-year-old brother in the attack said that 11 villagers who had taken refuge in the compound of the Buddhist monastery were killed in the attack. The man stipulated that his name should not be revealed, as he would then be feared by both the army and the PDF militia.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 3,750 civilians have been killed by security forces since the military seized power. Significantly, the group maintains a detailed tally of arrests and casualties linked to the country’s political conflicts.