A monastery in Thae Pin village, Shwebo Township, Sagaing Region, was shelled by the terrorist military forces without any ongoing conflict, resulting in injuries to a 16-year-old youth. The incident occurred around 3:11 PM on June 16, when soldiers from the military council’s Battalion 42 deliberately fired howitzer shells at the monastery located in the western part of Shwebo Township. The attack was unprovoked and targeted the religious building where civilians had taken shelter.
The artillery shells landed and exploded within the monastery compound, injuring 16-year-old Ko Hlaing Min Oo. The Zeyathway People’s Defense Force immediately transported the injured youth to a medical facility, and his condition was reported to be non-life-threatening. The military council troops fired two artillery shells during the attack, with one landing directly in the monastery compound and another striking the western part of the village. Local sources confirmed that while the resident monk escaped serious injury, the monastery sustained significant damage from the bombardment.
Prior to this incident, civilians from Thae Pin village had been forced to flee their homes on June 14 and 15 due to the advancement of military council troops in the area. When the villagers attempted to return to their homes on June 16, the military council forces deliberately targeted them with artillery fire. A spokesperson from the Zeyathway People’s Defense Force confirmed that while the head monk was not seriously injured, the monastery suffered minor structural damage from the attack. This incident represents another example of the military council’s continued use of heavy weapons against civilian targets, including religious buildings, in their campaign of violence against the people of Myanmar.
