Residents of Thaekone Township in Pyi District, Bago Region, reported that Soe Aung, a former member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) who previously served in the Pyithu Hluttaw parliament, was fatally shot at approximately 6:30 am on 12 October near the Thaekone Downtown market.

According to local sources, Soe Aung was considered a prominent figure within the junta following the military coup in 2021.

One resident of Thaekone Town said, “He had initially won the election in 2010, but was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election in 2015 as a representative of the USDP.”

According to an information officer from the People’s Defense Force Battalion (3601), they have claimed responsibility for the shooting of Soe Aung as part of their Operation Nan Htike Aung.

“We shot him three times in the downtown area. He died on the spot,” said an information officer from the People’s Defense Force Battalion (3601).

The information officer added that Soe Aung, who was 70 years old at the time of his death, was targeted and shot because he was seen as a key supporter of the junta and actively involved in recruiting people for militia training under the military regime in Thaekone Township.

“He was actively involved in recruiting people for militia training conducted in Taungoo Township. five people whom Soe Aung had recruited had already completed the training and returned. He had plans to continue sending more people for the training in the future,” said the information officer.

The information officer further revealed that apart from the five people mentioned earlier, approximately 40 more people have successfully completed the militia training organized by the junta in Thaekone and Paungde townships.

According to the PDF source, people who have completed the militia training are subsequently deployed for various tasks such as participating in raiding columns, manning checkpoints, and assisting with census enlistment efforts.