![\"Nyan](\"https:\/\/www.rfa.org\/english\/news\/myanmar\/death-07202021203656.html\/myanmar-interview-nyan-win-sept-2015.jpg\" "\\"myanmar-interview-nyan-win-sept-2015.jpg\\"")
<\/a>\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nThird wave of COVID-19<\/strong><\/p>\nMore than 240,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Myanmar since the start of the pandemic early last year and at least 5,567 have died.<\/p>\n
Myanmar reported an average of more than 5,300 new cases of COVID-19 per day over the seven-day period ending Sunday and the U.N. Country Team in Myanmar warned Monday that a third wave of the outbreak could be potentially catastrophic for the country of 54 million people.<\/p>\n
Hospitals are operating at capacity and amid a shortage of basic medical supplies.<\/p>\n
Aung Kyi Nyunt, chairman of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representative Committee (CRPH) and a member of the NLD's central executive committee, told RFA that he believes the junta \u201cintentionally\u201d allowed Nyan Win to die.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was sent to prison in his old age and no precautions were taken behind the prison walls to prevent COVID-19 infections,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he had been outside, a man like him could have taken care of himself and stayed healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aung Kyi Nyunt said he was concerned for other jailed NLD leaders, as well as the country\u2019s political prisoners, and called on the international community to provide assistance to those at risk in detention.<\/p>\n
A native of Mon state\u2019s Kyaikkami township, Nyan Win was elected as an NLD member of parliament in in 1990 and later served as the chairman of the Union Legal Aid Group during the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
The NLD sent a message of condolence to his family Tuesday, pledging to continue its fight against the military regime and establish a federal democratic union in Myanmar.<\/p>\n
Reports of Nyan Win\u2019s death came as residents of Shwebo township in Sagaing region told RFA that military troops are targeting NLD supporters amid an offensive that has killed at least five civilians in recent days.<\/p>\n In the aftermath of the coup, Myanmar\u2019s junta has stepped up offensives in remote parts of the country that have led to fierce battles with several local militias, including in Sagaing beginning in April. RFA has reported on several civilian deaths amid the fighting.<\/p>\n According to the family member of one of the victims, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, military troops killed four residents of Shwebo\u2019s Seik Khun village who were on a security patrol on the night of July 17, while a fifth was shot dead by soldiers in downtown Shwebo on Monday.<\/p>\n At least 5,000 residents of Seikhun have fled to the jungle since the beginning of June following reports that soldiers were hunting for PDF militia members in the area, sources said.<\/p>\n Tensions in the region have risen since early July, when a soldier was killed after a military convoy hit a mine near Shwebo township, and residents told RFA that troops now regularly open fire as they enter villages to conduct raids.<\/p>\n On Sunday,\u00a0they said, the military set fire to one house each in the Shwebo villages of Tettu, Kantha and Palai.<\/p>\n A resident of Palai village said the torched homes were owned by NLD supporters and that the perpetrators were administrators appointed by the military.<\/p>\n \u201cThe village chairman appointed by the military regime burned the houses down himself,\u201d said the resident, who also declined to be named.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t been able to return to the village yet because the soldiers are stationed in the monastery.\u00a0All the houses burnt down were those of NLD supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n Sources said PDF fighters have tried to repel soldiers patrolling in Shwebo township but were outnumbered and forced to retreat.<\/p>\n Soldiers killed by landmine<\/strong><\/p>\n Separately, at least 10 junta soldiers from the military\u2019s 44th<\/sup> Light Infantry Division were killed Tuesday when their convoy hit a landmine outside of Sagaing\u2019s Mingin township, prompting a firefight with militiamen, a Mingin PDF member told RFA.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were returning to Mingin from Panset village, where they were stationed earlier,\u201d the PDF source said, adding that no militia fighters had been killed or injured.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mines were laid over a month ago and we thought they were duds \u2026 The soldiers were killed as their vehicle hit a mine.\u00a0I can\u2019t say for sure exactly how many [died] because it happened at\u00a0a distance.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the explosion, the military fired mortars on area villages, causing thousands of residents to flee the area, the PDF member said.<\/p>\n According to the United Nations and aid groups, conflict in Myanmar\u2019s remote border regions has displaced an estimated 230,000 residents since the junta coup. They join more than 500,000 refugees from decades of conflict between the military and ethnic armies who were already counted as internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the end of 2020, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO.<\/p>\n Reported by RFA\u2019s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \n \n<\/a>\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nNLD supporters targeted<\/strong><\/p>\n
\r\nThis content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia<\/a> and was authored by Radio Free Asia.
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