Myanmar military razed over 4500 homes since last year's coup

Since the coup just over a year ago, Myanmar's military troops have razed at least 4,571 civilian homes, more than half of which were in the country's embattled Sagaing region, according to a media report.

The military set 2,567 homes alight in Sagaing, 976 in Chin state, 626 in Magway region, 310 in Kayah state, and dozens of others in Mandalay region, Southern Shan State, Tanintharyi region, Bago region and Kayin state, reported Radio Free Asia citing research group Data for Myanmar, which monitors the effect of political and armed conflicts in the Southeast Asian nation.

The incidents of village arson began at the end of May 2021 and peaked in October, November and December in 2021, as well as February this year, according to Data for Myanmar.

The homes were targeted in townships where anti-junta resistance in the form of pro-democracy People's Defense Force militias and armed ethnic groups has been particularly fierce in recent months, and where the military response has been severe, reported RFA.

Fortify Rights, a watchdog group, on Tuesday urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to back a UN Security Council-mandated arms embargo prohibiting the sale of weapons to the junta, citing reports of military abuses in Kayah state and elsewhere that it warned could amount to war crimes.

"When I returned home [from fleeing the military raid], the house was gone. It had been turned to ashes," RFA quoted a 35-year-old man from Magway's Gangaw township as saying on the condition of anonymity.

"I lost around 50 million kyats (USD 28,100) and all of my food supplies are gone. I am living in a small shed nearby and for meals, I must eat food donated for refugees," he added.

The man also informed that the military has been carried out arson attacks in Hnan Khar village at least five times since the February 1, 2021, coup, leaving many residents homeless.

Myanmar is in turmoil since the coup on February 1, 2021, when the Myanmar military led by Senior General Ming Aung Hlaing overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup triggered mass protests and was met by deadly violence throughout the country.

( With inputs from ANI )