Myanmar troops shoot dead 7 civilians: Lawmaker

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar (AA) - Myanmar military on Thursday shot dead seven civilians, who were among many villagers detained for interrogation in the country’s Rakhine state, a lawmaker said.

The military earlier this week announced that it rounded up several hundred people in several villages in Rakhine state’s Yathay Taung Township for questioning for their alleged ties to the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic rebel group.

It also said 275 men were held for interrogation in Kyauk Tan village in Yathay taung Township.

Soldiers on Thursday opened fire as a clash erupted with the detained villagers, according to Khim Maung Lat, a member of the country’s upper house of the parliament.

“Seven villagers were shot dead and eight others were seriously injured,” he told Anadolu Agency by phone.

“Before this accident, four civilians were also killed during the interrogation in other villages,” he said.

The lawmaker said the military has ignored the request made by regional parliament to hand over the detainees to police.

“Civilians are being killed. It is unacceptable,” he added.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and Myanmar Red Cross said in a joint statement on Thursday they had transferred three seriously injured patients to hospital in Rakhine state capital Sittwe, as well as two other “civilians” to local hospital in Yathay Taung.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a military spokesman, has confirmed the killing of six civilians.

According to him, the villagers attempt to seize weapons and harm the security forces during the interrogation.