Soldiers raze villages to flush out rebels

Nothing left: Charred houses sit in ash between the trees in Mwe Tone village of Pale township in the Sagaing region, Myanmar. — AP

Residents of two villages in northwestern Myanmar said government soldiers burned down hundreds of houses this week, apparently while searching for members of an armed militia opposed to military rule.

The attack on Monday in northwestern Sagaing region, also reported by independent Myanmar media, came on the eve of the anniversary of the Feb 1 army takeover that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, and underlined the fierce struggle for power.