Due to ongoing fighting between Burma Army (BA) and civilian resistance groups in southern Kalay Township, volunteers have been unable to collect the remains of all villagers killed in Nat Chaung village.
A volunteer, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, told KNG that BA soldiers murdered least 14 people. So far only the remains of 4 people could be retrieved in the village about 15 miles from Kalay town in Sagaing Region. ”They’re probably more bodies in there than we expect,” he told KNG.
The BA has been in Nat Chaung for a week, kidnapping residents and destroying houses. There are about 2,000 residences in the village.
Locals told KNG that MPT mobile phone services have been unavailable since 22 December, when the fighting began during which time many people have been displaced.
According to the People’s Defence Force (PDF) for Kalay, civilian resistance groups attacked soldiers in the village from 26-27 December. One PDF fighter and one Chinland Defence Force fighter were killed in the clashes, while four CDF were wounded. The PDF believes there were some BA dead and wounded.
The KNG cannot independently confirm this information.
PDF issued a statement urging civilians not to use the road from Kalay to Gangaw due to the fighting.
