Local residents reported that administrator Htay Maung and village clerk Myo Zin Win were shot dead in Wundwin Township, Mandalay Region, where they had been leading efforts to collect lists of young people for military service. The incident occurred around 2:45 PM on March 17 when unidentified armed individuals entered their homes in Yokkan village and shot them, resulting in their immediate deaths.
The two deceased individuals were reportedly involved in collecting lists of young people for military service within the village tract, as well as monthly forceful recruitment and transfer of young people to the military forces as porters. They were also known to gather intelligence on revolutionary forces’ movements and report to the military. According to local residents, they collected money under the pretext of military service fees and frequently intimidated local civilians.
A local resident stated that the two were actively involved in recruiting people for the military junta, collecting information, and monitoring revolutionary forces’ movements which they reported to the military via telephone. They also reportedly threatened local residents. Due to their forced recruitment efforts under military orders, local youth have been living in fear, with many having fled the area to avoid conscription. The systematic collection of young people’s information for military service has created an atmosphere of terror in the region, forcing many young residents to abandon their homes and seek safety elsewhere.
