At least one person died and two were injured in the town of Pinlebu, Sagaing region, on Monday as the coup regime’s forces attacked protesters, who defended themselves with home-made hunting rifles.
Residents gathered in the morning at a local high school to protest against a junta-led teacher training event there. The junta’s forces then attacked the crowd, firing tear gas and shooting guns, before detaining two protesters.
When the crowd demanded the release of the two protesters, the junta’s forces started shooting again. Locals then fired back with Tumi guns, a type of single-shot traditional hunting rifle loaded with gunpowder.
“We were chanting ‘our cause, our cause’ in front of the high school,” a local resident told Myanmar Now. “The police used tear gas and arrested two leaders of the protest. People then demanded their release. Then the conflict started. People used both Tumi guns and other home-made guns.”
A protester named Aung Naing Win, who was from Tha Nwin Gone village, died immediately when a bullet penetrated his ribs and passed through his body.
One woman was shot in the left arm and another man was shot below his armpit. They both received emergency surgery from rescue medics.
It is unclear if any of the coup regime’s forces were injured.
Tensions were still high at around 12pm on Monday, the resident said.
Thousands have been protesting in Pinlebu against the military junta on a daily basis since the first week of February. Monday was the first time the regime’s forces have shot anyone in the town.
Sagaing is emerging as a stronghold of the resistance against Min Aung Hlaing’s regime, due largely to the fact that many residents have weapons to defend themselves with because hunting is common in the area.
A number of police and soldiers have been killed or injured by people resisting the coup, with fatalities reported in the regional capital Kalay as well as in Tamu township.
The military said in late march that five soldiers were injured by hunting rifles in Magway region’s Gangaw township, which is about 150km south of Kalay.
Protesters in Kalay on Friday secured the release of nine of their detained comrades in a prisoner swap after capturing seven police officers.
