Myanmar: 5 killed in military helicopter attack in embattled Sagaing region

At least 5 people were killed on Thursday after the Myanmar military launched a helicopter attack near the embattled Sagaing region. The ambush took place in Gahe village, Indaw township in northwestern Myanmar, killing four siblings aged between 5 to 26 years. The region has been a hotbed of resistance since the military coup dethroned Myanmar's elected government in February 2021. The report comes a day after the chief of the Myanmar military junta Senior General Min Aung Hlaing agreed to support the ASEAN in an attempt to restore peace in the country. 

As per Radio Free Asia (RFA), two Mi-35 combat helicopters struck six pockets of Gahe village and fired machine guns into the populated areas. A total of 15 people have been slaughtered in a week after the Myanmar military launched the airstrikes since January 4. The series of attacks was reportedly the first since the military came into power, a resident told RFA under conditions of anonymity. Out of the six rockets fired at the village, five exploded killing four siblings and a 30-year-old woman. Only the body of the woman could be retrieved and was later buried, RFA sources told the publication. "Our village was a peaceful place and they attacked us for no reason," claimed a villager.

Five other people were wounded in the attack, including a child who fled into the jungle and is deprived of emergency medical attention. As per RFA, nearly 800 people from Gahe and surrounding areas have been displaced due to frequent guerrilla wars between resistance forces and the Myanmar military. Meanwhile, another 10 people were killed in Kalay township in the western part of Sagaing.

"The people returned to the village believing the situation had cooled down. The soldiers came back all of a sudden and short everyone they saw and at least and at least 10 were killed," a resident of Kalay told RFA.

5 PDF fighters killed in an airstrike in Sagaing

In September, 5 members of the anti-military Chaung-U PDF were killed in a clash with the military. The incident took place in Methekyo village, two miles west of Chaung-U after military helicopters were deployed to fight against the anti-coup resistance forces. As per reports by Myanmar Now, a four-hour-long battle broke in the area after resistance forces blew up military-owned Mytel telecom towers, leading the troops to raid villages on Wednesday followed by airstrikes a day later.

In another horrific incident, on December 24, as many as 35 civilians, including women and children, were slaughtered and their bodies burnt by the Myanmar military in the conflict-ridden Kayah State. It is pertinent to mention that Myanmar has been mired in conflict after General Min Aung Hlaing-led military coup ousted the National Democratic League (NLD) and annulled November 2020 General Elections. At least 1,300 people have been killed and thousands imprisoned since the military took to power.

(Image: AP (representative)