In an eastern region of Myanmar, “men, women and children” have been killed, according to international aid agency Save the Children, in an “attack on civilians” for which the NGO blames the military junta in that country. The bodies of “at least 38 people” are said to have been found on Saturday, the organization states in a press release. On Friday, the regime had confirmed to news agencies that fighting had taken place in the same state, Kayah.
On Saturday, photos of burnt-out vehicles allegedly found on a highway in the Kayah region circulated on social media. Charred bodies are also said to have been found in the destroyed trucks. The collective Myanmar Witness, which is trying to verify reports from the country, also reported on Saturday local reports of violence in which “35 people, including children and women, were burned and killed by the military.” It is difficult to independently verify such messages. According to the regime, army units tried to stop some cars that were “suspicious” on Friday. Fighting broke out afterwards, according to an official statement.
In return for AFP news agency wanted to tell someone anonymously about what happened Saturday morning, when members of an anti-junta resistance group went to look at the road. “We found 27 bodies in the area,” AFP is quoted as saying. Another witness stated that there were probably more deaths in the vehicles, but that because of the fire that had raged it was difficult to determine how many victims that was.
Rescuers’ vehicle
After this coverage got underway, Save the Children released that two employees are likely to “have gotten into this situation.” The two, who had worked in the area and are said to have traveled by road to a holiday destination, are missing. British headquarters said in a statement that their private vehicle had been set on fire.
“We are shocked by the violence against innocent civilians and our employees who are committed to humanitarian tasks in Myanmar,” said director of the NGO Inger Ashing. Save the Children has suspended operations in multiple regions of the country.
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