Local residents report that villagers from Letpan Village in Sagaing Township, Sagaing Region, have been forced to flee 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 surrounding villages, with one artillery shell hitting and exploding at the monastery in Letpan Village, causing significant damage to the religious building. Residents have evacuated to safer locations due to fears for their safety.
Eyewitnesses reported that the military council suffered casualties during the clash, with their forces seen transporting bodies away in vehicles. The extent of civilian casualties from the artillery strike has not yet been confirmed. Additionally, the military council conducted aerial attacks on villages in Thaung Tha Township, Mandalay Region, according to the Thaung Tha Township Public Movement Committee. The attacks involved the use of helicopter gunships dropping bombs on civilian areas.
At approximately 2:48 AM on March 19, the military council launched aerial attacks on Kyipintel Village and Nagabo Village using helicopter gunships, accompanied by small arms fire. The Thaung Tha Township Public Movement Committee is currently investigating the extent of damage to civilian properties and potential casualties resulting from these aerial attacks. The situation continues to develop as local organizations work to assess the full impact of the military council’s offensive actions against civilian populations in these areas.
