IMNA has learnt that two Karen National Union soldiers who came across bandits holding up a bus on the road between Dawei and Ye were shot dead on the evening of 11th December.
Air-conditioned bus number 4F/7946 owned by the Aung Yatanar bus company was travelling from Dawei to Yangon with 45 passengers on board. It was stopped by bandits in the Mahlawa Mountain Range in Tanintharyi Region just before the border with Mon State according to an unnamed New Mon State Party (NMSP) representative based in Dawei.
He said: “While the bandits were collecting jewelry money and phones from the bus passengers the KNU officer and soldier arrived in a car and the bandits shot at them and killed them.”
The two dead soldiers are believed to be Lt. Saw Khin Win and Private Maung Lay from the KNU, though IMNA are still waiting for confirmation of their identities from the KNU.
The two dead soldiers’ bodies were taken to Ye Hospital in Mon State.
The bus passengers estimated that about 10 bandits armed with guns held up the bus.
When government security forces arrived on the scene they found two walkie-talkie radios and one machine gun that had been abandoned by the bandits. Now, they have put the Ye to Dawei road under tight security.
In the areas around Yephyu Township in Tanintharyi Region and Khao Zar sub-township in Mon State unknown armed groups have been kidnapping people, demanding taxes and robbing local residents.
On 19th September an unknown armed group also kidnapped six villagers from a monastery in Khao-Zar Sub-Township whilst they were taking part in a Mahadoke alms donation ceremony.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
