Volunteer night guard shot dead by military

At least five other people were injured when soldiers opened fire in a residential area in Yangon at around 1am on Friday

A man was killed in Yangon’s Mingaladon township early Friday when soldiers opened fire with live ammunition in response to local residents’ protests at their appearance.

Kyaw Zin Latt, 41, was shot in the chest and died on the scene, a relative of the deceased man told Myanmar Now.

At least five other people were injured, said residents of Mya Thida ward in Mingaladon, where the incident occurred. One person who was shot in the thigh was arrested, they added.

According to his relative, Kyaw Zin Latt was serving as a volunteer night guard when the soldiers suddenly showed up at around 1am on Friday.

“They arrived without a car and called for someone in charge to come out. That’s when the residents started beating pots and pans. They [the soldiers] shone flashlights and began firing,” the relative said.

Since the military seized power in a coup on February 1, many Yangon neighbourhoods have established voluntary patrols to protect residents targeted by security forces for late-night raids.