Local residents reported that the military has burned down houses in Seesonegyi and Ywartha villages in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region, and looted valuable possessions including mobile phones belonging to Buddhist monks and civilians’ property. On July 21, the military forces entered Ywartha village and systematically burned down all houses in the western part of the village. They also looted gold, money, and other valuable possessions belonging to the villagers, according to local sources.
On July 22, the military moved to Seesonegyi village and methodically burned houses along the main village road, destroying them one by one. They also raided the village monastery, where they forcibly seized 1.2 million kyats in donations and mobile phones from the head monk. Currently, the military has occupied the village school, converting it into a military outpost from which they are firing heavy weapons into surrounding areas. Local residents confirmed that the military’s actions were deliberate and systematic in their destruction of civilian property.
According to local residents, the military’s operations in Kanbalu Township have expanded beyond destroying homes to include the burning of farmlands and rice fields. This deliberate targeting of civilian livelihoods has created significant hardships for local communities, affecting their basic means of survival. The military’s actions have resulted in widespread displacement and violations of fundamental human rights, with many residents forced to flee their homes. The systematic destruction of both residential and agricultural areas demonstrates a pattern of deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and economic resources, severely impacting the local population’s ability to maintain their basic needs and livelihoods.
