Dozens of bodies found in villages raided by Myanmar junta troops near Bagan

Local rescue workers say they have recovered the bodies of 31 civilians killed by junta troops late last month during raids on villages located along the Ayeyarwady River opposite Bagan, Myanmar’s ancient capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to residents, soldiers from Light Infantry Division 101, based in Pakokku, and Infantry Battalion 415, based in Nyaung-U, entered the area near the town of Myit Chay on May 13 and carried out multiple raids over the next two weeks. The deadliest violence reportedly occurred on May 30, when troops set fire to homes in several neighbourhoods and carried out most of the killings, residents said. By June 5, 31 bodies had been recovered, a local resident who helped lead recovery operations told Myanmar Now. The victims included elderly people, married couples, and entire families. Of the 31 bodies recovered, only 11 could be identified. “Some bodies were unidentifiable because too many days had passed,” the resident said. "Some were reduced to skeletons. Animals had already disturbed many of the remains.” The resident said several of the dead appeared to be farmers who may have returned to the area to care for livestock after fleeing the violence. A man identified by the pseudonym Tun said he was detained by soldiers after returning to retrieve personal documents he had left behind while fleeing. Tun said troops searched him for tattoos associated with resistance groups and held him for six days at a monastery in Htanaungkone, a nearby village. During his detention, Tun said he overheard soldiers discussing killings carried out during the operation. “I heard them talking among themselves,” he said. “When they got drunk, they would brag and compete, saying things like, ‘I killed this many in town. How many did you kill?’” Residents said many elderly people sought refuge in monasteries and religious compounds after troops entered the town, believing the sites would offer protection. Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing makes an offering to a Buddhist monk during his visit to Bodh Gaya in India on May 30 (Photo: Junta-controlled state media) According to local accounts, some of those sheltering in religious compounds were later found dead. Among the 11 bodies recovered near religious buildings in the village of Sweagyi were nine men and two women, residents said. “They fled to the religious grounds hoping they would be safe there,” one resident said. “But they were captured and shot.” Myit Chay is home to the Tantkyitaung Pagoda, a destination frequented by pilgrims travelling from nearby Bagan. Residents and local aid groups said at least four wards in Myit Chay and more than 10 nearby villages were burned during the raids. The violence displaced tens of thousands of residents from approximately 30 villages along the Ayeyarwady River, according to members of the local assistance group Anyar Taw Eain. Family members say many elderly and ill residents who were unable to flee remain unaccounted for. A 40-year-old woman from Myit Chay’s Myoma ward said her brother was detained during the military operation and has not been heard from since. “Some of the deceased still have clothes on, but some were burned after being killed, so only bones remain,” she said. “We have not found any remains or belongings that would allow us to identify my brother.” The woman said survivors told her that some detainees were allegedly ordered to run before being shot. “They took them to the religious grounds and told them to run, then shot them from behind,” she said. Residents said the military column involved in the operation withdrew from Myit Chay on June 1 and later established positions near villages along the Pakokku-Seikphyu and Pauk-Pakokku roads. According to local accounts, troops had established checkpoints around Myit Chay and nearby Seikphyu beginning May 13, restricting movement and limiting the transport of food, medicine and fuel into the area. The completion of the operation near Bagan coincided with the start of a state visit to India by junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, who began his trip with a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya, a major Buddhist holy site. He later told reporters that he prayed for Myanmar “to be peaceful and developed, and for the citizens to have peace of mind and body to earn their living.”

Dozens of bodies found in villages raided by Myanmar junta troops near Bagan

Residents say that many of the 31 victims were elderly or disabled people, including some who had taken shelter at monasteries

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