TANINTHARYI DIVISION – The junta forces at a checkpoint on the Dawei-Myeik Road in Thayetchaung Township murdered a man and discarded his body into the creek, reported the locals.
On August 20 around 5 a.m., three gunshots rang out from Oattu Bridge checkpoint between Thayetnhatkwa and Panpyin Village. After that, the body of a dead man was discovered in Oattu Creek.
“We found a pool of blood on the road near the checkpoint first. The body was found in the creek,” said a resident of a nearby village.
The identity of the deceased is not known yet and it is not yet clear why he was shot.
“No one dares to observe it closely it is close to the checkpoint. We can only see it as we pass by so it’s hard to even determine his age,” said another resident in the area.
There are around ten junta forces deployed at Oattu Bridge checkpoint, where vehicles passing on the Myeik-Dawei Road are regularly inspected and extorted.
The checkpoint has similarly opened fire on civilians before and there have been civilian casualties as well.
Just this year, and monk and a civilian were heavily injured after stepping on a landmine planted by junta forces stationed at that checkpoint.
Nine civilians including a monk were killed in Tanintharyi Division in July due to the junta forces arresting and murdering civilians, junta gunfire and artillery attacks.
