Mother and Two Sons Shot Dead in Kyaukme Offensive

A mother who was around 50 year of age and her two sons were shot dead at In Kyin Taung, Htone Bo Ward, Ward (8), Kyaukme according to reports. 

The incident occurred around 1:00 PM on July 1. The mother asked her son, who was working at the Liang Xian restaurant in Pan Paung Village, to come home due to the fighting. She sent another son to fetch him. When the two brothers returned home, the mother and her two sons were shot dead in front of their house by the unknown armed group.

A local resident who knew the incident said, “The boy was working at the restaurant. His mother insisted he come home, despite the restaurant owner telling him not to go back as it was safer at the restaurant. Even though the boy didn’t want to go home, he went back as his mother was strongly asking him. As he needed to go back, they drove the motorbike very fast. The motorbike was too fast and the riders were boys, so the armed group was suspicious and shot them. An armed group shoot them.”

As of July 3, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) was in a position to control almost the entire Kyaukme area, leaving only one remaining army camp, I.B (501/502). On the day the mother and two sons were shot dead, most residents in the Ward had fled due to the fighting, leaving the area nearly deserted. As a result, no one could identify that which armed group shot and killed those three people.

A local resident described the situation: “There’s nothing unusual about the fighting today. There are hardly any people in the city. Morning shopping isn’t as busy as it used to be. Only some people are selling vegetables. We frequently heard some gunshots and shooting of heavy weapons. All the grocery stores and shops were closed because they had fled the fighting. Though there was no sound of fighting today, but there was a shortage of food. Even if you had money, there was no place to buy. There is no medicine shop, no place to buy it, everything is in short supply. The fighting situation is currently calm.”

On June 26, TNLA forces at the Asia World Toll Gate confiscated 10 cars and mobile phones from local residents, according to a Kyaukme resident. TWO is continuing to investigate this incident for more details.

Photo – Local

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