The Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) Information and Communication Officer Khun Rain Yan has confirmed the discovery of evidence showing the brutal execution of five PNLA soldiers by the terrorist military council and their subordinate Pa-O National Organization (PNO) in Maukmai Township, Southern Shan State. The incident occurred during a battle near Thisi Village in Sisaing Township on January 12, 2024, where five PNLA soldiers were captured. They were subsequently executed the following day on January 13 by joint forces of the military council and PNO troops.
According to the evidence obtained, photographs show the captured soldiers bound with ropes while in custody, followed by images of their bodies after execution. Video footage reveals that one soldier was killed at a separate location, while the remaining four were executed together at a single site. The brutality of the executions is clearly documented in the video evidence. This stands in stark contrast to PNLA’s treatment of prisoners, as they have previously captured PNO militia members and officers up to the rank of Major, but have never subjected them to torture or execution.
The PNLA has consistently followed international laws regarding prisoners of war, providing medical treatment and ensuring their survival. They have even granted amnesty to captured soldiers upon requests from Pa-O literature and cultural centers or Pa-O Buddhist monks. However, the military council and PNO have shown complete disregard for international laws in their treatment of captured PNLA soldiers. The video evidence was discovered on a mobile phone belonging to a captured soldier, who himself confessed that military council troops and PNO militia members jointly carried out the executions.
The PNLA has emphasized that their current military operations are solely focused on dismantling the military dictatorship system and not motivated by ethnic or regional interests. To prevent intra-ethnic conflict among the Pa-O people, they have deliberately avoided attacking PNO camps or engaging in capture and execution operations against them. The organization has noted that while some PNO leaders may oppose the military council’s control and wish to avoid violence against their own people, the PNO is currently under the control of crony Ne Win Tun, who follows the military council’s orders. This situation has led to the PNO acting as an extension of the military council’s authority, rather than representing the interests of the Pa-O people.
