Nearly 100 Military Council troops arrived and set fire to the Kyauk Su Lake oil wells - locally known as oil fields - in northern Pauk Township, Magway Division at 10 am on January 23, a spokesperson from a local people defense force called God of Myaing said.

“We were told that all oil compounds will be burned even though we offered to pay money,” the spokesperson said. “They did not take the money. They just burnt the oil fields because they believe that oil fields are supporting People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).”

By about 5 pm yesterday, about 10 oil fields had been set on fire.

“The number of oil lakes destroyed will be many. There are four oil compounds, so there will be at least 10 lakes,'' the spokesperson told Mizzima.

In another incident in another township in Magway division, Myaing, Military Council troops came on January 14 to burn the oil fields and lakes owned by the people.

When the junta soldiers’ column that burned down people’s houses in Myaing Township arrived at Pauk Township on January 22, local guerrilla groups ambushed the troops.