Pro-Junta Militia Kills NLD Supporters in Myanmar 

By The Irrawaddy 25 April 2022

A pro-regime militia killed two National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters and wounded another in Mandalay on Sunday in response to an anti-junta group’s vow to attack regime supporters, security forces and their family members.

Sources close to the victims said U Tin and Daw Kha Kha were seized by the Thwe Thout militia in the evening. U Khin Maung Thein, U Tin’s brother, searched for them and also went missing.

U Khin Maung Thein and Daw Kha Kha, both in their 50s, own Sein Win Win teashop in in Mandalay and are strong NLD supporters. U Khin Maung Thein is a ward chairman in Chanayethazan Township.

U Khin Maung Thein, who was dead, and Daw Kha Kha, who was still alive at the time, were dumped outside an NLD office on Sunday night. A Thwe Thout lanyard was left around U Khin Maung Thein’s neck. U Tin’s body was found with the group’s logo near the Sabel housing complex near Kannar Road.

A Mandalay Region NLD member confirmed the deaths to The Irrawaddy.

“U Tin had been stabbed in the throat and U Khin Maung Thein was shot in his waist. Their bodies are being prepared for funerals,” she said.

She added that Daw Kha Kha was shot in the head and had knife wounds on her throat and head. She is being treated at hospital and her condition is unknown.

Thwe Thout posted graphic images of the victims with lanyards on its Telegram channel.

It follows the launch by Mandalay guerrilla group Black Hades of its Operation Zeya, pledging to “hunt regime soldiers and police but also their families”. 

Thwe Thout said on Thursday that they will launch “Operation Red” to counter Operation Zeya. Pro-regime Telegram accounts, such as Han Nyein Oo, distributed the statement.

Since late March last year, numerous regime informers, officials and allies have been killed by guerrilla groups.

Daw Soe Soe, 50, the wife of the vice-chairman of the NLD in Mandalay, U Ko Ko Lay, was killed during interrogation and her body was dumped beside a Mandalay road on Friday.

On Monday, Thwe Thout updated its hit list to include people’s defense force supporters, journalists and diaspora members supporting attacks on the regime. The list included family members.

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