Anti-regime groups operating in Tanintharyi Region’s Launglon Township say they killed a police officer and wounded a soldier during an attack on election officials on Monday.
The incident occurred in the village of Ka Myaw Kin as a group of around eight local officials was going from house to house compiling a list of voters.
“We didn’t target the officials, just the armed junta personnel who were accompanying them,” said a spokesperson for the Launglon People’s Defence Force (PDF), one of the groups involved in the assault.
Ka Myaw Kin is located just west of Dawei, the regional capital. The Dawei Guerrilla Revolutionary Force, based in the area, also took part in the attack.
Sources in Ka Myaw Kin told Myanmar Now that regime forces were searching vehicles on the bridge linking the village to Dawei after the shooting.
According to the Launglon PDF spokesperson, an AK-47 assault rifle and some ammunition were seized from the dead police officer, while the wounded soldier managed to escape with his weapon following a brief exchange of fire.
He added that the attack was intended as a warning to local officials cooperating with the regime’s efforts to hold elections later this year as part of its bid to consolidate power.
“The entire population of the country is against the military council’s idea to hold an election. That’s why we decided to attack them,” said the spokesperson, adding that members of the public were urged to stay away from junta officials.
The regime has not released any statement regarding this incident.
The military seized power nearly two years ago after claiming that elections held in 2020 under the ousted National League for Democracy government were rigged.
The coup regime said that it would hold new elections in accordance with the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, but such a move is widely seen as an effort to win legitimacy for military rule.
