RANGOON — Border police unearthed five bodies in Tin May village tract of Buthidaung Township, Arakan State on Saturday afternoon.
The five men were allegedly killed in an accident with an improvised explosive device near Thae Ne village on May 3, police official Ko Kyaw Kyaw of nearby Kyi Kan Pyin border post told The Irrawaddy on Monday.
The bodies were discovered after police launched an investigation in the area on May 5 and found materials that could be used in manufacturing explosives, the police officer said.
One body was found on May 7 with the help of local residents and village administrators, he said.
According to the police officer, local villagers testified to border police that two of the deceased were Pakistanis providing militant training in the area.
Police did not obtain any official identification to verify the men’s nationalities.
A resident of Buthidaung Township who works at a government school told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Monday that local sources had reported that the deceased were all from the village and surrounding area, and were not foreigners.
Authorities transferred the bodies to Buthidaung general hospital for medical examination on Sunday.
A State Counselor’s Office statement on Monday stated that five bodies had been found and police were investigating.
