Junta shelling kills teacher and her baby in Mon State’s Bilin Twsp, local sources allege

By DMG 26 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
26 June 2022, Bilin, Mon State

The Myanmar military fired artillery shells into two villages in Mon State’s Bilin Township, killing a female schoolteacher and her baby and injuring another woman, according to local sources.

Naw San San Win, a 25-year-old female teacher and her 1-year-old son were killed after the military’s Light Infantry Battalion No. 404 fired artillery shells into Ahsuchaung village at around 12 noon on June 24, a resident said.

“Junta troops from the Natgyi military outpost fired four artillery shells into the village. One of the artillery shells landed and exploded near the victim’s home,” the resident added.

The heavy weapons fire was not related to any ongoing fighting between Myanmar’s military regime and anti-junta forces, according to a source close to the Karen National Union (KNU), who said no active hostilities were taking place at the time.

“The Myanmar military deliberately fired artillery shells into the village without any clashes with the KNU,” said the sorce from the KNU, which controls territory in Mon State.

The 25-year-old victim was reportedly a teacher from Winkataik village.

Naw Mar Thet Hso, a 28-year-old woman, was injured and two homes were destroyed two days earlier when junta troops from the Lay Kay military outpost opened fire into Minsaw village on June 22, according to locals.

“The victim sustained shrapnel [wounds] to her legs and her condition is considered life-threatening. Three artillery shells landed and exploded in the village, destroying two homes,” said a resident of Minsaw village.

Some schools in the village were temporarily closed due to clashes between a coalition of armed groups headed by the KNU, and the Myanmar military, according to a villager.

At least 15 civilians were killed and 20 injured in clashes between the Myanmar military and anti-junta forces headed by the KNU from the last week of November 2021 to late June 2022. Among the fatalities were three children.