UN official 'horrified' by killing of 35 civilians in Myanmar; demands probe into massacre

United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths on Sunday said that he is "horrified" by reports of the attack and murder of 35 civilians in Kayah State in Myanmar on December 24.

Demanding Myanmar authorities to launch a "transparent investigation", Griffiths also condemned the "grievous incident" in which the dead bodies were later mass burned by the Myanmar military. Following the said attack, two humanitarian workers of 'Save the Child' organisation have gone missing as their private vehicle was attacked and burnt, the top UN official stressed.

"I condemn this grievous incident and all attacks against civilians throughout the country, which are prohibited under international humanitarian law. I call upon the authorities to immediately commence a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident so that perpetrators can be swiftly brought to justice," UN Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths said in a statement.

"Moreover, I call upon the Myanmar Armed Forces and all armed groups in Myanmar to take all measures to protect civilians from harm," he added.

As per reports, international aid groups monitoring the grassroots level, and local media, have blamed the grave atrocities of the Tatmadaw commander Min Aung Hlaing-led military troops.

The US embassy in Myanmar also condemned the gruesome attack, saying that they were appealed by the "barbaric attack" in Kayah in which over 30 people were killed including children and women.

"We will continue to press for accountability for the perpetrators of the ongoing campaign of violence against the people of Burma," the US Embassy in Myanmar said in a Twitter post.

35 killed and bodies burned in Kayah State

As many as 35 civilians, including women and children, were killed and their bodies were mass burned in the conflict-ridden Kayah State of Myanmar.

As per reports from Karenni Human Rights Groups, the Myanmar military slaughtered and burned bodies of internally displaced citizens near Mo So village or Hpruso town on December 24. The human rights group also "strongly denounced" the heinous crime. Pictures of charred vehicles, in which the group of people was travelling through, surfaced on social media.

It is pertinent to mention that Myanmar has been mired in conflict after the military regime deposed the Aung San Suu Kyi-led NLD government and annulled the November 2021 general elections. The military also outlawed many of its opponents, dubbing them anti-national. Since then, the regime has launched subsequent crackdowns and innumerable reports of inhumane activities have emerged from time to time.

(Image: AP)