Myanmar junta attacks Bago villages near the 115-Mile Rest Stop

Over 1,000 local residents have been displaced and at least seven killed following heavy junta artillery and drone attacks on villages near the 115-mile rest stop on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway in Oktwin Township, Bago Region, according to local resistance and aid organisations. Early this month, several hundred junta troops began advancing towards Shwe Laung and Bo Kone villages, located between the expressway and the Bago Yoma mountain range, less than 30 miles from the 115-mile rest stop. The regime supported the troops’ advance with airstrikes, forcing thousands of locals to flee the area. The advancing columns clashed with local resistance forces on September 15 near the two villages, and junta artillery fire and drone attacks killed at least seven civilians during the clashes, a source close to a resistance group said. As of Tuesday, the regime was continuing to carry out airstrikes near Shwe Laung and Bo Kone, a member of a local aid organisation said. They added that following requests from displaced people, the organisation had transported residents to nearby Taungoo via the expressway, which continues to operate as usual. More than 1,000 people from at least eight villages are currently displaced by fighting and sheltering at monasteries in Taungoo and Oktwin. Sources also said that regime soldiers had entered villages and looted civilian homes. “I heard that they stole motorcycles left behind in the villages, and that they slaughtered and ate the chickens and pigs. I also heard that they were playing music from speakers and dancing,” a local man said. He added that some people donated rice and food items to the displaced people, but due to economic hardship, they were not able to prepare meals for them as they had done before. A member of the Tactical Unit 23 of the region’s People's Defense Force (PDF) said the military’s attack on villages between the expressway and the Bago Yoma mountain range were likely intended to seize control of resistance-controlled supply routes which they could then use to reinforce troops. “They want [our] supply route. If they can control this section of the road, they will be able to supply their camps,” the source said. “The regime can only enter into towns, such as Zayatgyi and Htantabin, but suffer heavy losses when they attempt to enter rural areas.” The commander of the region’s PDF Tactical Unit 24, Bo Bo, said that the regime has been attacking everyone, including civilians, with drones on the front line and in the villages where junta columns are operating. “They launch drone attacks as soon as they see people. Rather than advancing ground columns, they are focusing on using drones to attack, which limits villagers' movements and blocks roads. They launch drone strikes at the sight of any human shadow," he said. Resistance members also said that the regime was conducting airstrikes on villages near the Sittaung River in eastern Bago, despite there being no ground clashes. Myanmar Now attempted to contact the spokesperson for the National Unity Government’s Bago Region Military Command to ask about the situation, but was unable to reach them.

Myanmar junta attacks Bago villages near the 115-Mile Rest Stop

Escalating attacks near the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway have killed seven and forced over 1,000 to flee to nearby towns, while regime troops loot IDP homes

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