Local residents from Letpan village in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region, have been forced to evacuate after the military council’s artillery shells struck a monastery in their village. The incident occurred following clashes between resistance forces and the military council troops along the Sagaing-Mingun road between 9 PM and 11 PM on March 17. After the fighting, the military council indiscriminately fired heavy weapons at nearby villages, with one artillery shell hitting and exploding at the Letpan village monastery, causing significant damage to the religious building. The extent of civilian casualties from the artillery strike remains unconfirmed at this time.
According to a local resident, the military council suffered casualties during the clash, and their forces were seen transporting bodies covered with tarpaulins. The resident further reported that the military council’s random artillery strikes caused severe damage to the monastery, forcing all villagers to flee to safer locations. The indiscriminate nature of the attacks has created a humanitarian crisis as entire communities are displaced from their homes.
Simultaneously, the military council has launched airstrikes using armed helicopters against villages in Thaung Tha Township, Mandalay Region, as confirmed by the Thaung Tha Township Public Movement Committee. Around 2:48 AM on March 19, the military council conducted aerial bombardments targeting Kyarpintel village and Nagabo village, combining the airstrikes with small arms fire. The Public Movement Committee is currently investigating the extent of civilian casualties and property damage resulting from these aerial attacks. These incidents represent an escalation in the military council’s use of heavy weapons and airpower against civilian areas, causing widespread displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
