A tragic incident of friendly fire occurred in Pyay city’s Ohn Taw Road, Bago Region, resulting in the death of Major Aung Moe Thu from the military council forces, according to local military sources. The incident took place around 1 AM on March 24, when military council troops conducted a raid on a house based on false information suggesting the presence of People’s Defense Force (PDF) and Arakan Army (AA) members in the area. The misinformation led to a catastrophic chain of events that ended in the death of one of their own officers.
Major Aung Moe Thu, who was from Hlaegyapkun village tract in Nattalin Township, was present at the house when military council forces mistakenly opened fire. Local military sources confirmed that the Major was not originally from Pyay but had come from the Nattalin area. In the aftermath of the shooting, military council forces detained several local civilians, whose whereabouts remain unknown, causing great concern among local residents who have lost contact with them. This incident highlights the ongoing pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions by military council forces in the region.
This incident of friendly fire demonstrates the systemic issues within the military council’s operations, including poor communication, inadequate intelligence verification, and hasty decision-making that puts both their own forces and civilians at risk. The continued practice of arbitrary arrests and detentions following such incidents further illustrates the military council’s approach of treating all civilians with suspicion and conducting operations without proper accountability or regard for civilian safety. The incident has heightened concerns among local residents about their security and the military council’s ability to maintain proper command and control over their forces, particularly in situations involving civilian areas.
