Local residents reported that a shooting incident occurred between soldiers guarding the Aya Bank near Zay Cho Clock Tower in Mandalay. The incident took place around 12:30 PM on May 25th at the Aya Bank located at the intersection of 84th Street and 26th Street near Zay Cho Clock Tower. The shooting broke out after an argument between military council soldiers who were on security duty at the bank escalated into an exchange of gunfire. During the incident, seven shots were fired, with four shots in the first round and three shots in the second round.
Following the shooting, military council troops arrived at the scene, blocked the roads, and evacuated some soldiers using hearses. Local sources confirmed that one soldier died and was transported away in a hearse. The incident caused shops near Zay Cho Market to close, with both vendors and shoppers fleeing the area for safety. The shooting created panic and disruption in the normally busy market area, forcing many businesses to suspend their operations temporarily.
Currently in Mandalay, various groups including soldiers, police, Pyu Saw Htee members, and blue-uniformed village security groups, ward administrators, fire brigade, and municipal workers are operating throughout the city in a disorderly manner. These groups are engaged in various illegal activities including setting up checkpoints to extort money, threatening people with weapons for extortion, collecting protection money from gambling and drug trafficking operations, and organizing released prisoners to commit robberies and share the stolen goods. These activities have created an atmosphere of lawlessness and fear among the local population, with civilians bearing the brunt of these exploitative practices.
