Myanmar Junta Arrests 16, Including Six-Year-Old Girl, in Retired General's Assassination Case

In Myanmar, security forces have arrested a total of 16 individuals, including a six-year-old girl, Lin Latt Shwe, in connection with the assassination of former Brigadier General Cho Tun Aung, aged 68, who was shot outside his residence in Mayangon township, Yangon, on May 22. The incident was reportedly carried out by a militant group known as the Golden Valley Warriors, which claimed responsibility for the attack shortly thereafter. The arrests occurred between May 23 and May 29 in four different regions of the country, as reported by state-run media, the Global New Light of Myanmar. Those detained include the alleged assassin, Myo Ko Ko, who reportedly has multiple aliases and was injured during the attack. Also apprehended was the owner of a private hospital accused of providing treatment to the gunman. This assassination highlights the ongoing peril faced by military and civilian officials in Myanmar, particularly since the military coup in February 2021 that ousted the elected government. Assassinations have increased against army personnel, civil servants, and perceived collaborators of the military. The Golden Valley Warriors have stated that Cho was involved in teaching security and counterterrorism, accusing him of complicity in the atrocities committed during the civil unrest. The broader implications of these arrests reveal a deepening cycle of violence and instability within Myanmar, exacerbated by the military's own human rights violations that have claimed numerous civilian lives.