By Ra Wai / MPA
PAKOKKU — Residents of a village in central Myanmar remain stranded in nearby forests, unable to return to their homes days after a military raid left their community in ruins.
Survivors from Kan Yat Gyi village, located in Pakokku Township, say the embers from the fires are still too hot to allow for a safe return or cleanup operation. The entire community of approximately 800 people has been displaced following the attack.
According to local sources, a military column comprising around 200 troops from the Light Infantry Division 101 stormed the village on the morning of 8 January. Arriving in a convoy of six trucks from neighbouring Kan Taw village, the troops reportedly opened fire to catch residents off guard before torching civilian properties.
“They entered from the south, firing their weapons, and then started the fires. We had to flee in chaos,” a male resident told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA).
“We estimate that about 110 houses have been destroyed so far, though we are still verifying the exact numbers subject to change.”
Kan Yat Gyi consists of approximately 200 households, meaning more than half the village has been razed. While the village monastery and pagodas were spared, a rest house located within the monastery compound—used for storing communal property and festival supplies—was destroyed in the blaze.
With the village still smouldering, displaced residents are facing an acute shortage of basic necessities.
“Our main requirement right now is shelter,” the resident explained. “We have received some clothing, but tarpaulins or roofing materials are critical for survival in the forest. We are also in need of food rations.”
The raid resulted in the death of a 60-year-old woman, who reportedly died of shock during the chaotic evacuation.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene as her husband attempted to save her.
“She was elderly and had mobility issues. Her children tried to reach them, but the father shouted for them to run and save themselves,” the witness said. “It appears he tried to pull her out himself, but when the arson began and heavy weaponry was fired, the shock was too much for her.”
Following the destruction of Kan Yat Gyi, the military column reportedly moved through the pro-junta village of Nyaung Jit Pin before garrisoning at the Kamma police station in the evening.
