Eight members of a family, including three children, were found dead with knife wounds in their home in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region on Saturday morning.
A group of men reportedly arrived at the house in Ngar Myaung village, located on the western shore of the Ayeyarwady River, and murdered the family before stealing their valuables, according to local sources.
The adult victims were identified as Kyaw Hlaing, 70, Me Nyunt, 65, Hnin Mya Hlaing, 50, and Tin Win and his wife—whose name was not confirmed at the time of reporting—both in their 40s. Three children were also killed: 15-year-old Su Mya San, 13-year-old Shwe Bon San, and six-year-old Khant Zaya Myo.
“All of the victims had knife wounds. Even the youngest child had his throat slit,” said a spokesperson for the anti-junta Kanbalu People’s Defence Force’s fourth battalion. “All of their gold and silver were missing. It was basically just burglary and murder,” he added.
While the perpetrators were not identified at the time of reporting, another local resistance fighter emphasised that Ngar Myaung is located six miles west of a sugar mill occupied by the junta’s forces. He also noted that the area has a strong presence of military-backed Pyu Saw Htee and Thway Thauk militias, whose members have been terrorising the population of Kanbalu, which is seen as a resistance stronghold.
He and other residents suggested that troops from one of these junta forces were likely responsible for the murder of the family, but Myanmar Now was unable to confirm the allegation at the time of reporting.
Local sources told Myanmar Now that the victims’ home was once reportedly used in the National League for Democracy’s (NLD) campaign ahead of the 2020 election, which the party won; the military ousted their administration in a coup in early 2021.
The junta has been targeting NLD leaders and affiliates in the nearly two years since then, torching villages perceived as pro-NLD, and arresting, torturing and killing supporters of the party.
