At least five defence team members and two civilians have been killed in a series of junta raids carried out in Sagaing Township since early last week, according to resistance sources.
Two regime columns, each with around 200 soldiers, began raiding villages in both the eastern and western parts of the township on August 15, the sources said.
On August 19, fighting broke out near the village of Paukka, located on the eastern bank of the Mu River about 40km west of the city of Sagaing.
Two resistance fighters were killed in the clash and three civilians were injured, a member of a local defence team told Myanmar Now.
Two days later, junta troops arrived in Nyaung Pin Shey, a village north of Paukka, and fired heavy artillery across the river, killing a 21-year-old woman, the defence team member added.
“The military fired three 60mm artillery shells at Mu Mandalay, a village on the other side of the river, and hit a woman who was taking a bath,” he said.
The woman, who was not identified, lost her legs in the attack and later died of abdominal wounds, he added.
Htan Taw Seik, a village north of Nyaung Pin Shey, was also attacked later the same day, resulting in the death of three more defence team members, including one who was shot and killed when he went back to check on the other two.
According to the sources, the junta troops are still in the area and currently stationed in Nyaung Pin Shey.
Meanwhile, attacks were also reported on villages in the eastern part of Sagaing Township, which is in southern Sagaing Region.
On August 15, junta troops killed a woman when they fired heavy artillery at Khat Kha, a village located on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line, which is used to transport regime soldiers and supplies to Kachin State.
Two days later, soldiers burned down the entire western half of the village, which they continued to occupy until Thursday.
Arson attacks targeting the village of Kyun Oo Taw were also carried out on August 21, according to local sources.
Thousands of people have reportedly fled their homes in Sagaing Township since last week due to the recent attacks.
