A representative from the Thaung Tha People’s Defense Force has confirmed that a body was discovered along with weapons and ammunition following an internal killing among Pyu Saw Htee members in Thanaunggone village, Thaung Tha Township, Mandalay Region. On the morning of June 19, Pyu Saw Htee members based in Thanaunggone village entered a nearby village and looted civilian homes. During their return to their camp, conflict arose among the group members, resulting in the torture and killing of one of their own members.
According to the investigation by the Thaung Tha People’s Defense Force, they recovered a carbine rifle, 230 carbine bullets, and two ammunition magazines alongside the deceased Pyu Saw Htee member’s body. The Pyu Saw Htee group, which operates from Thanaunggone village with approximately 40 members, frequently conducts raids on nearby villages in smaller groups. The official revealed that they typically deploy groups of 7 to 15 members at a time for their looting operations. The group, led by a person known as Htoo Aung, has established a pattern of regularly targeting and robbing nearby villages.
The People’s Defense Force members were conducting surveillance after receiving reports of the Pyu Saw Htee group’s looting activities. While monitoring the situation, they heard gunfire from a nearby forest area. Upon investigating the location, they discovered the body and the weapons cache. The exact identity of the deceased Pyu Saw Htee member and the specific reason for the killing remain unknown. The official noted that there was no direct confrontation between the People’s Defense Force and the Pyu Saw Htee group, as the latter had retreated using an alternate route after the incident.
