In one of the first events of its kind since the February 2021 Coup, reports emerged in mid-June of hundreds of homes in a village in Myanmar’s north being burned down.

The village was estimated to have contained between 230 and 250 houses with a population of around 1,000 people (BBC, Myanmar Now). Images geolocated by Myanmar Witness to the village show widespread destruction of homes (Twitter user), with some areas reduced to ashes (Facebook user). Locals reported that around 200 houses were destroyed (Myanmar Now, DPA). A manual count of the destroyed blocks seen on satellite imagery indicates there were at least 154 blocks destroyed, however there may have been more than one house in each block.

According to media interviews with locals, at least two elderly residents were killed in the fire (Myanmar Now, DPA). These have been named on social media as U Mya Maung and Daw G Mei (Twitter user, YouTube User). Further social media posts include claims that:
- a local person was shot in the leg by an SAC soldier;
- four elderly people were killed in the fire (Twitter user, YouTube user);
- two individuals were taken away by SAC forces and one returned unconscious (Twitter user);
- that multiple livestock were killed (Twitter user).

Analysis by Myanmar Witness identified heat signatures from Kinma village (ကင်းမ) on 15 June and verified the destruction to the village using satellite imagery, coupled with images taken on the ground. Read Myanmar Witness’ report for more information.