WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States and United Nations condemned the Myanmar junta over what Washington described as “credible and sickening” reports of the killing of 11 villagers, including children, in a restive central region.
The State Department and the UN secretary general’s statements came as local media and residents said that soldiers seized 11 people from Dontaw village in Sagaing region following mine and bomb attacks on a military convoy a day earlier.
Sagaing region has seen regular clashes between junta troops and civilian militia.
“We are outraged by credible and sickening reports that the Burmese military bound 11 villagers – including children – in north-west Burma and burned them alive,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said, using the country’s former name.
The Myanmar junta, which seized power in a coup that deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s government 10 months ago, denied the claims.
The junta has been locked in a bloody stalemate with militias dotted around the country, fighting to overturn the coup.
The state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Friday the reports were “fake news” and evidence of a “conspiracy by local and international connections”.
NEW YORK: A spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned by the reports of the horrific killing of 11 people … who were reportedly shot and burnt by the military”.
“Credible reports indicate that five children were among those people killed.”
The Southeast Asian country has been in turmoil since the military seized power, with the economy in tatters and more than 1,300 people killed by security forces, according to a local monitoring group. — NNN-AGENCIES
