BAGO DIVISION – It was reported by a community volunteer that four people were injured and about 3,000 civilians were forced to flee as the junta council soldiers fired heavy weapons aimlessly during a battle near Taungoo Town that started at around 8:00 a.m. on Friday (November 8).
The junta soldiers stationed at Taungoo Air Base, artillery battalion and Aisaunt Village were said to have purposely targeted and shelled Aisauk, Kanni, Karennikone, Thatkekyin and Nyaung Sakhan Villages in Taungoo Township, which landed and exploded on a villager’s house in Kuntheepin Village, injuring four people.
“There was a crossfire in Aisaunt, Thatkekyin, Karennikone, Kanni and Nyaung Sakhan Villages. The artillery were aimed at Karennikone and Thatkekyin Villages but couldn’t confirm the sources. I assume that there is a battle. Some of the artillery shells landed in Kuntheepin Village and Nyaung Sakhan. They fell into the farms in Nyaung Sakhan Village but a house was damaged in Kuntheepin, injuring four people. Out of the four, two were sent separately. Of the remaining two, one was sent to the hospital but the other only received light injuries so it was not necessary to send to hospital. I’m not sure about the damages over there,” said a community volunteer.
It is said that battles reportedly broke out after the People’s Defence Forces attacked the junta council forces stationed in Aisaunt Village as those soldiers frequently raid the villages of Taungoo Township. The locals from five villages had fled to nearby places and monasteries due to the clashes.
“There are junta camps over there. Junta forces often come into the area even if they don’t stay permanently. Now, it is said that they are stationed in Aisaunt. The shelling was probably from the air base. There is the air base and an artillery battalion there. So they probably fired from there. I also heard that they brought heavy weapons to Aisaunt and fired from there. It was probably an exchange of fire,” continued the volunteer.
