Five civilians killed as Myanmar army continues its push into Natogyi Township

At least five civilians were killed in a village in Mandalay Region’s Natogyi Township late last week, as a junta army column continued its advance into the resistance stronghold. The victims—three women and two men, all in their 50s—were killed after the column, accompanied by members of the pro-regime Pyu Saw Htee militia, entered the village of Thu Soe, about 17 miles west of the town of Natogyi, on August 15, sources said. “Some had returned to check on their livestock and belongings and were killed when they met some soldiers. Others were killed by junta troops in the forest,” a local man told Myanmar Now. He added that resistance forces discovered the bodies in Thu Soe after the column left to advance towards Manle, another village to the southeast. However, another source said that the bodies could not be recovered due to the presence of junta troops who had stayed behind in Thu Soe. Regime forces have been pushing into Natogyi from neighbouring Myingyan Township to the west since the start of the month. According to residents of the area, thousands have fled the advance. A local resident said he believed the offensive was related to the regime’s plans to hold elections later this year, despite the ongoing war that has raged across the country since the military seized power four and a half years ago. “They want to hold elections in Myingyan at all costs. What we heard is that they will conduct area clearance operations within a 30-mile radius of the Myingyan steel factory. This current operation is within that area,” he said. Resistance forces operating in Myingyan said that a lack of ammunition has prevented them from engaging in clashes. However, a local commander said the resistance had carried out a number of mine and hit-and-run attacks since the offensive began. Earlier this month, the Myingyan Black Tigers, a People’s Defence Force battalion, reported that some of its members had been killed during fighting near the village of Thamonekaing. Most rural areas of Myingyan, Natogyi and Taungtha townships, all located east of the Ayeyarwady River, are under resistance control. A source close to the resistance said that the junta is now applying the full force of its military to retake villages located between the towns of Myingyan and Natogyi.

Five civilians killed as Myanmar army continues its push into Natogyi Township

The junta’s ground offensive in the township southwest of Mandalay has also forced thousands to flee their homes

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