The U.S. State Department released a statement condemning the "gross violations of human rights" after Burmese security forces fired heavy artillery into a town in the predominantly Christian Chin state, setting at least 100 homes and two churches on fire.

The attack was in retaliation after a Chin militia shot and killed a Burmese soldier who was breaking into houses and looting properties, according to a report.

The Southeast Asian country’s military, locally known as Tatmadaw, started attacking Friday morning after the militia, Chinland Defense Force, killed a Tatmadaw soldier while he was looting properties.

The presence of the Buddhist nationalist military makes civilians and militias in conflict-ridden states nervous. The military has been accused of vandalizing places of worship and civilians’ homes, raping girls and women, abducting civilians to be used for forced labor and shooting civilians to death.

ICC quoted the India-based Chin Human Rights Organization as saying that several religious buildings, including Church on the Rock, Presbyterian Church, and a building attached to the Thantlang Baptist Church, the largest congregation in town, have also caught fire.

“The first rockets to be fired into the town landed at the entrances to the Thantlang Baptist Church,” ICC said.

Other Christian communities in Chin state had also been targeted since the military coup in February. “Now that the military has started a real operation in Chin state, we can expect a lot of such abuses and acts, and we urge the international community to keep a close eye on this.”

Last month, a beloved youth pastor, Cung Biak Hum of Thantlang Centennial Baptist Church, was shot dead as he tried to help one of his congregants save their burning home after it was set ablaze by the military during an attack on civilians in Chin state.

Information on his Facebook page showed that he was married with two sons and was pursuing a master's of divinity degree at MIT Yangon.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, highlighted the pastor’s murder in a tweet at the time, calling on the international community to “pay closer attention” to the “living hell” civilians have been experiencing there since a Feb. 1 coup brought back full military rule following years of quasi-democracy.

More:  Christian Post

Some Good News from Myanmar…

Amidst the often shocking bad news, it is encouraging to hear of many young people coming to Christ across Myanmar at this time. We are receiving reports that there has been an amazing response to the Gospel through social media programming with many tens of thousands of Burmese youth responding in recent days and wanting to know more about how to know and follow Jesus.

75,000 in four days last week were asking for help, so that it has become overwhelming to the small local ministry team to cope.

Please give thanks and pray for effective means to follow up with these masses of inquirers and to answer their questions wisely and effectively, possibly through online classes that give some basic teaching and can provide resources for them to download and use.

Pray for Burmese-speaking ministry leaders (both local and abroad) to jump into this amazing potential harvest as the nation is being shaken through civil war conditions since the February military coup.

Pray: For the safety of the Christian community in Myanmar (Psalm 91:1-16), that they may know the

peace of God in their lives as they face dangers each and every day; that they will know the presence

and protection of the Holy Spirit surrounding them.

Pray: For the families of those who have lost loved ones during these times of crisis. May they be comforted and provided for, especially the widows and children who have nowhere to turn.

Pray: For those afflicted by COVID in Myanmar.  We pray for communities ravaged by this virus, that they may find help, support and care amidst the terror and suffering.