A total of 18 bodies including two bodies of young women who had been raped and killed were found in the village of Yinpaungtaing in Yin Mar Bin Township, Sagaing Region, which had been attacked by Military Council army, according to a People’s Defence Force (PDF).

Information on the attack that took place on 11 August has only recently been released.

According to spokesperson for the Chindwin Yoma Alliance Forces, a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old woman were found raped and killed by junta soldiers in the east of Yinpaungtaing village.

“The two girls who were coming to shop from another village might be running when the helicopters were firing on 11 August. They ran to the east of Yinpaungtaing, and the soldiers were dropped by the helicopter in the east of the village too, so maybe the two victims ran into the junta soldiers. The two victims were found raped and killed by near a cliff,” the spokesperson said.

“The fact that the two girls’ bodies were found naked is a sign that they were raped and killed. The distance between the bodies was 30 feet. There are military boot prints and other signs of struggle nearby,” he added.

The Chindwin Yoma Alliance Forces said the identities of the two young women had been confirmed, but had not been made public due to privacy concerns.

The large village called Yinpaungtaing is located about seven miles from Yin Mar Bin. The village market place was crowded with shoppers when the Military Council suddenly attacked it.

The Military Council forces are presently stationed in Kapaing village, about five miles from Yinpaungtaing, and they are burning down the houses, according to a local person from Yinpaungtaing.