Around 300 residents from a village in northern Shan State have fled into the jungle after a Tatmadaw patrol reportedly began shooting in response to a landmine blast, the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) said on September 14.
According to the SHRF’s account, a group of around 60 Tatmadaw troops from the 325th Light Infantry Battalion based in Mine-ye/Mong Yai township where patrolling with the local Nam Pawng People’s Militia when they set off a landmine on September 10. After the explosion, the troops began shooting and shelling into the nearby area. Local residents fled in terror, the SHRF said.
“[The] Tatmadaw has violated the human rights of the villagers while they were carrying out a clearance operation. The residents are afraid to return back to their villages. They are still worried since the incident took place recently,” Sai Korn Lieo, spokesperson of the SHRF, told KIC News.
He said that the shooting took place in the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army – North’s (SSPP/SSA-N) area.
Later that same day, the patrol allegedly detained three Shan farmers, beating them and forcing them to act as porters, the SHRF’s report said.
Sai San Hla, San San Kyaw, and San Sai Korn from Loi Ywe and Nar Larn villages were released the next day after an elder from Nam Poke Village came to vouch that they were not involved in the SSA.
