In Launglon Township, Dawei District, Tanintharyi Region, the military junta troops that advanced into the Aout Yayphyu village tract killed at least three local young men, according to the Dawei District Strike Committee.
The military column entered the Aout Yayphyu village area on October 12. On October 16, around noon, they captured Ko Min Aung (aka Ko Kan Kan), a 30-year-old resident of Kadetngeseik village, as he fled on a motorcycle to safety. He was shot dead between Aout Yayphyu and Kadetngeseik villages.
On the same day, 25-year-old Ko Min Ko Ko from Aout Yayphyu village was also arrested and executed by the junta forces. His body was discovered in Nyinmaw village on October 21. Another unidentified young man’s body was found alongside his, both showing severe neck wounds, according to a member of the Dawei District Strike Committee.
“When the column entered, they arrested civilians, and there was an exchange of gunfire between them and resistance forces. Some civilians were injured during the crossfire. The junta also detained people on the roads, and some were executed there. Homes were also damaged by junta artillery fire, and one house in the upper part of Launglon was set on fire,” the committee member said.
On October 19, the junta troops retreated from the lower part of Launglon Township. However, as of September 22, they were still patrolling the upper part of Launglon, occupying deserted homes and monasteries, according to local sources.
“When the military entered, most locals fled. Many people in the lower part of Launglon have returned, but only a few of those who sought refuge in town have come back. People from the upper part of Launglon are still afraid to return,” the committee member added.
During the military junta’s operations in the area, around 100 troops entered Launglon Township, leading to the deaths of at least three young men. Some locals were also killed by stray bullets and explosions during the clashes. Though many detainees have been released, some are still in custody.
