Major General Aung Thet Oo, the commander of Division 77 who was captured by People’s Defense Forces during the battle for Indaw City in Sagaing Region, served as the Strategic Operations Commander of Yangon Regional Military Command’s Strategic Operations Command-1 during the 2021 military coup. Sources confirm he played a leading role in the shooting and killing of civilian protesters in Yangon. Major General Aung Thet Oo graduated from the Defense Services Academy intake 42 and only recently assumed the position of Division 77 commander in early 2024.
During the aftermath of the 2021 coup, when the military violently cracked down on peaceful pro-democracy protesters in Yangon, Aung Thet Oo served as Colonel and Strategic Operations Commander-1 of Yangon Regional Military Command, where he issued orders during the military’s lethal response to civilian demonstrations. He was later transferred to serve as Strategic Operations Commander of the Coastal Region Command’s Kawthaung Military Region, a position he held until November 2023 before becoming the commander of Division 77.
Regarding the leadership history of Division 77, Major General Myat Thet Oo served as its commander during the 2021 coup, followed by Major General Min Ko Ko, Soe Myat Htut, and Kyaw Kyaw Han in succession, before Aung Thet Oo assumed command in 2024. Aung Thet Oo’s family members include his wife Daw Thant Su Nwe Htun, elder son Pyae Shan Oo, and younger son Ant Phon Oo. While he has been captured during the battle for Indaw City, the National Unity Government (NUG) has not yet issued an official statement regarding his capture.
