The village administrator of Nat Htamin village in Minhlat Township, Bago Region, who had been forcing local youth into military service when they couldn’t pay military fees, was killed in an attack by resistance forces. On March 8th at approximately 11:45 AM, combined forces from Thayarwaddy District Battalion 3802’s Units 2 and 3, along with the Minhlat Township People’s Defense Force, entered the home of administrator Thant Naing Soe and shot him, resulting in his immediate death from three gunshot wounds to the head.
The deceased administrator had been forcibly collecting so-called military service fees from local residents and compelling young people from impoverished families who couldn’t afford to pay these fees to join the military. He was also known for providing false information about resistance forces to the military and had been openly challenging and dismissing the revolutionary forces. These actions ultimately led to the decision by people’s defense forces to carry out the attack. According to a spokesperson from the Thayarwaddy District PDF, the administrator’s actions had severely impacted local civilians’ livelihoods, forcing many to flee their homes and leaving some facing severe economic hardship and food insecurity.
The People’s Defense Force has issued warnings that they will continue to intensify their operations against the military council and its supporters who oppress civilians. They have advised civilians to avoid areas where military council representatives and their associates are present. This incident highlights the ongoing tension between resistance forces fighting for civilian protection and those working with the military council to enforce their policies, including forced recruitment and extortion of local populations under the guise of military service fees.
