"A Revenge Killing": How Myanmar’s Military Executed 70 Arakanese Men in a Single Village

News Analysis ၊ August 19, 2026

Escaped women and children from the village (photocrd)

Survivors have recounted the brutal torture and execution of at least 70 men by Myanmar military personnel in Byain Phyu, a village on the outskirts of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, between May 29 and 31, 2024. The massacre, described as an act of retaliation, has left the village destroyed and its surviving residents scattered in displacement camps, hoping to one day return.

According to testimony given to The Diplomat in February 2026, five survivors described a meticulously planned operation. Around 200 heavily armed soldiers surrounded the village of approximately 2,000 residents at 8 a.m. on May 29. Using loudspeakers, they ordered all residents to assemble at the village center, where men were separated from women and children.

Location of Byain Phyu village (crdgoogleearth)

Systematic Torture and Massacre

An estimated 800 men and teenage boys were blindfolded, had their hands tied, and were herded to the outskirts of the village. The women and children were forced to squat on the road for two days without food or water, in blistering heat. Around 7 p.m., the women heard intermittent screams, followed by gunshots that lasted until 4 a.m. the next day.

One survivor, Hla Hla Khin, whose husband and son were among those herded away, recounted that the men were subjected to severe beatings with chains and rifle butts. A middle-aged Burmese trader, who was temporarily living in the village, was released and told the women that about 70 men had been killed, their bodies either buried or cremated. The trader also revealed that residents who had asked for water were forced to drink the soldiers' urine.

Another survivor, Saw Tamana Mue, a Karen worker from Kayin State, was among those tortured but released. He stated that all men were divided into three groups and forced to kneel. He confirmed that several men attempting to escape were stabbed and shot dead. The military personnel accused the villagers of collaborating with the Arakan Army (AA) and reportedly stated that the massacre was to avenge casualties the military suffered in the battle for Kyauktaw .

Looting, Imprisonment, and Sexual Assault

As the men were being killed, soldiers entered and systematically looted homes, stealing cash, gold, and other valuables. A mentally challenged woman in her early 20s was gang-raped by four military personnel, her screams heard by many women in the village .

Following the massacre, about 150 men and minors were relocated to monasteries in Sittwe. Between 600 and 650 men were taken to the military regional command headquarters, where they were subjected to further interrogation and torture before being sent to Sittwe prison. Survivors reported that at least two men died within a week in prison . A military court later jailed 144 of these villagers for allegedly supporting the AA.

Escape and Displacement

Three months later, in September 2024, a group of 18 people managed to escape from the monastery where they were being held. They walked for 12 hours through narrow lanes and marshy areas to reach an AA-controlled zone. At least 400 other residents of Byain Phyu have since escaped to AA-held areas. Many of the village's houses have been dismantled or sold by the military, and the village is now occupied by outsiders.

The survivors are currently living in IDP camps across Ponnagyun and Rathedaung townships, working as daily wagers and selling firewood. Like Ma Wong Than, whose father disappeared from Pathein prison, they hope to return to Byain Phyu once Sittwe is liberated.

source@thediplomat