A representative from the Bago District People’s Defense Force has confirmed that four civilians, including a 6-year-old child, were killed due to artillery strikes by the military council forces in Kyauktaga Township, Bago Region. On June 14 at approximately 10:20 AM, soldiers from the military council’s Battalion 307 (Shwe Wa Battalion) based in Panywaykone deliberately fired 120mm artillery shells at civilian residential areas in nearby villages.
The artillery shells landed and exploded in Shwe Chaung village of Satipatthana ward in Panywaykone, killing 6-year-old Maung Sit Thwe Thu Ya Paing and 28-year-old Ma Su Mon Hlaing instantly, while 46-year-old U Kyaw Thu Ya sustained severe injuries. Later that day, at around 4:36 PM, troops from the military council’s Battalion 264 based in Peinzalok launched another artillery attack on Nwa Yay Chaung village, resulting in the immediate deaths of 65-year-old Daw Mya Khin and 39-year-old Ko Soe Thu.
Since the military coup, repeated artillery attacks by military council forces on villages in Kyauktaga Township have resulted in more than 20 civilian deaths and over 50 injuries to date. Similarly, in Mon State’s Kyaikto Township, soldiers from the military council’s Infantry Battalion 3 fired three artillery shells at Alu Gyi village on June 11 at approximately 5:30 PM. This attack resulted in the immediate death of 34-year-old Saw Ngwe La and injured four others, including Saw Aung Bo Bo. The attack also damaged two houses and one vehicle, according to a statement released by the Karen National Union (KNU) Central Committee.
