‘All junta soldiers behind Minbya rape & murders faced a grim fate’

 Ko Ko Aung, a junta soldier from the 205th light infantry battalion under the 22nd division, who was involved in various  heinous crimes, confessed that all five soldiers who had murdered both the mother and daughter (after she was gang-raped) in Nga Tan Pyin village under  Minbya township of Rakhine State, met a grim fate.

During the battle with the Arakan Army (AA) fighters, sergeant Kyaw Min Oo (who began raping the young girl) was struck by a sniper on the forehead and died instantly. Similarly, lieutenant sergeant Thu Ya Naing succumbed to injuries after being hit by a bullet, private Chit Loon died from a wound,  Ko Myo Aung perished with a punctured neck and captain Nay Lin Kyaw was fatally burned in the 541st battalion.

Ko Ko Aung was the last to rape the girl, who was later arrested by the AA fighters and he confessed the crime.

"I am private Ko Ko Aung. I served in the 205th light infantry battalion and arrived in Minbya on 16 January. As we entered Nga Tan Pyin village, we encountered a man over 50 years old. I refrained from harming him and continued our movement. Later,  I came to know that he was killed by the soldiers,” he stated.

Soon the group  of soldiers encountered a young woman and her mother. The young woman was gang-raped and later both of them were murdered.

"In the village, we encountered a woman with a girl. Captain Nay Lin Kyaw ordered the girl to kneel down and then he began assaulting her. Despite her cries and pleas, he covered her face with a towel and took her inside. Later the others repeated the crime. I was the last one to rape her,” said Ko Ko Aung.

Later, the girl was dragged outside and subsequently killed by the soldiers.

"When the girl was dragged outside, sergeant Kyaw Min Oo fired two bullets on her forehead. Another bullet was pumped into her left breast. She was still alive and lieutenant sergeant Thu Ya Naing proceeded to slit her neck with a knife. Sergeant Kyaw Min Oo reported after some time that both of them died. Then we left the place to engage in warfare," he continued.

The column engaged in a clash with the AA fighters and those involved in the rape and murder faced the grim fate.

Ashin Kusala, who resides along the Thai-Myanmar border area, made a commentary on the incident.

"Such actions by the Myanmar military personnel on Rakhine people  are unacceptable. From a religious standpoint, those who were involved in such reprehensible actions had to face the consequences. This kind of punishment usually does not delay. I firmly believe that they were promptly offered their return after their misdeeds," he stated.

As the junta forces continued facing  defeats in the battles across Rakhine, they resorted to committing rights violations against the civilians. Their actions increased the number of casualties in the battlefields.