Three men in their 20s were arrested by police in Sagaing’s Shwebo Township on Saturday morning and found dead later that day, according to locals and the leader of a local defence force.
The men were returning to their home village of Kyar, 18 miles west of Shwebo town, after spending days waiting to start combat training with a local anti-junta resistance force in another area which was not disclosed for security reasons.
They were arrested en route in Seik Khun village, 14 miles from Kyar, a leader from the defence force told Myanmar Now. He explained that the training had not even taken place and was delayed due to clashes in the area.
“Despite our urging them not to, the three young men decided to go back home for a while as they were waiting for their training to begin,” he said.
The leader believed that the men’s car was singled out by junta troops who had obtained prior knowledge, likely from an informant, that they were attempting to join the resistance.
“They didn’t stop the other cars on the road—they specifically chose to stop their car. There were other people in the car as well but only the three of them were arrested,” he said.
A resident of Seik Khun told Myanmar Now that the men were arrested at around 10am, and gunshots were heard near the police station that evening, while they were still detained.
“We heard six gunshots at around 8:45pm. Then we heard 11 more gunshots,” the local man said on the condition of anonymity.
“Market-goers from other villages found the bodies the next morning to the east of the police station. It was only then that we found out they had been killed,” he added.
The photos Myanmar Now received of the victims showed that two of the young men were gagged.
“One of the bodies didn’t have any bullet wounds. I think they tortured him to death. The other two had bullet wounds in their chests,” the Seik Khun resident said.
The bodies were retrieved by their families and cremated in Kyar on Monday.
The leader of the local defence force said that the murders were “unforgiveable.”
“It’s against the law to even kill prisoners of war. There was no reason for them to kill them, it was just inhumane. This will keep happening in every place [the military] has control over,” he said.
There are more than 30 police officers in the Seik Khun village police station, and more than 50 Myanmar army soldiers occupying the school in the 2,000-household village.
Myanmar Now was unable to obtain comment from the junta regarding the deaths of the three young men.
