Two ‘suspect’ Muslims shot dead in exchange of gunfire with Tatmadaw

By Kyaw Thu Htay 04 Mar 2020

Kyaw Thu Htay/ DMG
4 March, Maungdaw

Two “suspect” Muslims were shot dead by Tatmadaw troops after the pair responded to calls for them to submit to inspection by firing upon the soldiers near Taungpyo village in Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township, the military reported on March 3.

It said the bodies of the men, described by the Tatmadaw-run newspaper Myawady as having been “arrested dead”, were found with a firearm, munitions and illicit narcotics on their persons.

Tatmadaw troops warned the two suspects to stop for inspection at a location about 6,000 meters southeast of the village at about 1:20 p.m, but they “did not stop and opened fire with the use of a home-made gun brought along with them”, prompting the troops to return fire, Myawady reported.

The troops subsequently conducted a sweep of the area and seized the two bodies, one homemade gun, “two 12-volt bullets [sic]”, two improvised explosive devices, four Panasonic battery cases, wiring and 29,500 WY-brand stimulant tablets, the military mouthpiece said.

The Tatmadaw will hand over the seized narcotics to the Thayakon police outpost and continues to conduct security patrols of the area, the Myawady report stated.