January 6, 2024

Junta forces launched an offensive on Kyaukka village in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region, and torched homes in nearby Kanma village, local sources report.

Troops stationed near the Kyaukka Shweguni Pagoda have been firing heavy and light artillery at surrounding villages, according to residents.

Civilians in Kanma village, east of Monywa, have been taken hostage, with reports indicating that a five-year-old child is missing. At least 22 homes have been destroyed by fire, and livestock, including pigs and cows, have been injured or killed by artillery strikes.

Junta forces stormed Kanma village on January 2, detaining over 100 residents and using them as human shields. Although some were released, around 50 remain in custody, villagers say.

“As of yesterday, they hadn’t been released. The military demanded ransom, but no one knows the amount. The detainees, including the missing child, have been taken to Monywa,” a local resident told New Day Myanmar.

A report released by the National Unity Government’s (NUG) Ministry of Human Rights on January 6 highlighted 70 incidents of human rights violations in Sagaing between December 16 and December 31, 2023.