At least 20 people were killed in an air strike on Magway village

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

According to opposition forces engaged in the area, at least 20 people were killed when the military used helicopters to launch a surprise attack on the village of Hnan Khar in Magway Region's Gangaw Township on Friday.

According to a spokesperson for the Yaw Defence Force (YDF), the attack began about 2 p.m. on Friday and lasted about 40 minutes.

According to the YDF spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, three helicopters were part in the assault.

 

He said the 20 individuals killed comprised both YDF fighters and village residents, and that troops aboard the helicopters also opened fire on a community school.

"It might be a lot more."
Those who went out to collect bodies were shot as well.
We can't say how many yet because we weren't able to go very near," he continued.

When the incident occurred, the YDF, which operates in Magway's Gangaw, Htilin, and Saw townships, was holding a conference in Hnan Khar to discuss its efforts to combat illegal logging and drug trafficking in the area, according to a spokesperson.

 

According to local villagers, the helicopters landed with troops in Hnan Khar and the adjoining villages of Yehla and Shwebo after the raid.

According to one resident of Hnan Khar, the village is being controlled by roughly 150 junta soldiers and members of the military-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia.

"In trucks, the military has begun transporting Pyu Saw Htees from pro-army areas to Hnan Khar.
"There are also military personnel stationed there," the villager added.

At the time of reporting, Myanmar Now was unable to independently verify his claim.

 

Fleeing villagers

 

The majority of Hnan Khar's around 1,000 residents were able to evacuate the village, but some elderly citizens who were unable to flee remain, according to the villager.

"We're in a lot of difficulty right now."
We must transport old folks who are unable to walk or run.
"Some folks fractured their arms or had their legs broken while running," he added.

Another Hnan Khar villager who escaped the military raid reported that junta troops opened fire on areas where locals were sheltering numerous times on Saturday.

"They combed through the bushes outside the settlement and fired heavy weapons towards the eastern side of the Myittha River," he claimed.

 

On Sunday morning, the military set fire to three houses north of the already almost empty town, according to a YDF spokesperson.

According to one local woman who spoke to Myanmar Now on Sunday afternoon, there was more firing in the eastern section of the hamlet later in the day, as well as more fires.

"No one dares return to the village."
"We heard there are troops hiding there today," the woman stated, adding that she had also heard that several people had been arrested after Friday's attack.

According to several accounts, thousands of inhabitants from other villages in the region, including Shwebo, Yaeshin, and Yehla, have also fled their homes since Friday's air raid.