The Information Officer of People’s Defense Force (PDF) Battalion 1, Myeik District has confirmed that 10 civilians were killed due to the military council’s drone strike and artillery attacks in Zaratphyit village, Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region. On July 25 at 10:20 PM, the military council forces launched a drone strike on a house in Zaratphyit village, initially killing one civilian and injuring two others. While rescue operations were underway for the injured, military forces stationed on Padamyar Mountain launched additional artillery strikes on the same location.
The second attack resulted in nine more civilian deaths and three additional injuries. The victims were identified as travelers who had taken shelter in the nearby village due to ongoing conflicts along the Union Highway, preventing their continued journey. The Information Officer clarified that the victims were not local residents but travelers seeking temporary refuge. He emphasized that this attack was deliberately targeted at non-military targets during a time when no active fighting was taking place, constituting a war crime. The military council forces conducted these attacks without any ongoing battles in the area, specifically targeting civilian areas.
The 10 deceased civilians were buried the following day, and revolutionary forces have declared that the military council is now committing blatant war crimes without distinguishing between armed forces and unarmed civilians. As fighting between the military and revolutionary forces is expected to intensify in Palaw Township, resistance forces have urged local residents to properly construct bomb shelters and advised those within combat zones to evacuate to safe areas as quickly as possible. The military council’s actions demonstrate their continued disregard for civilian lives, treating the general population as enemies and committing war crimes with impunity.
