A horrific incident occurred in Htake Hpo Township, Bago Region, where the military council forces arbitrarily arrested four civilians and subsequently tortured and killed one of them, Ko Anet (aka) Ko Tin San, before dumping his body by the roadside. The incident began on January 17, 2024, at approximately 5 AM, when military council soldiers took Ko Saw Si Paw from Say Village in Chaung Gaung Village Tract, Ko Than Zaw from Michaungtin Village, Ko Anet (aka) Ko Tin San from Sin Myint Village, and his son Ko Chit Toe (aka) Saung Oo Lwin to the Htake Hpo Township police station.
The military council soldiers accused the detained civilians of having connections with the PDF (People’s Defense Force) and subjected them to severe torture, including food and water deprivation, beating their legs when they attempted to sleep, and burning them with hot irons. On January 22, Pyu Saw Htee leader Wanna from Ayemyathaya Town and his soldiers gouged out Ko Tin San’s eyes with a knife before shooting him to death. Later that night, they disposed of his body near Oak Shit Kone Village along the Yangon-Pyay road.
In Htake Hpo Township, Pyu Saw Htee leader Wanna has been forcing young people to join the Pyu Saw Htee group, coercing them to use drugs, and threatening to kill those who refuse to comply. Through these tactics, they are attempting to expand their membership. Local residents report living in fear due to these violent acts by the military council forces, expressing grave concerns for their safety and security. The military council’s continued use of violence and intimidation has created an atmosphere of terror in the region, with civilians being subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
