Mizzima

On 25 July Tabinshwehti Column issued an apology for mistakenly killing an innocent civilian Ko Sithu Win, on 22 July in Oke Ta Dar Village, in Mon State’s Paung Township.

At around 5:50 p.m. on 22 July members of Tabinshwehti Column entered the Kyaw Kyi Restaurant near the Yangon to Mawlamyine Highway, in Oke Ta Dar Village and shot at Phyo Zaw Aung, a surveillance officer from the nearby Zin Kyaik Town Police Station, who was eating at the restaurant.

Ko Sithu Win stood up when the defence forces shot Phyo Zaw Aung Kyaw. Because of this, the defence forces mistook him for a policeman trying to protect Phyo Zaw Aung Kyaw and shot him too.

An official from Tabinshwehti Column said: “When the resistance fighters were shooting at a surveillance officer, Ko Sithu Win stood up. Therefore, the resistance fighters mistook him for a policeman accompanying the surveillance officer and accidentally shot him.”

Ko Sithu Win who owned a car repair shop was hit in the chest and abdomen. He died on the spot.
According to Tabinshwehti Column it was an accident that happened because its fighters had not taken the time to verify who Ko Sithu Win was or what he was doing before they shot him.

The group also apologised to Ko Sithu Win’s family and said it would take responsibility for the killing in a way that Ko Sithu Win’s family approves of.

Tabinshwehti Column is a joint force formed by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the People’s Defence Forces operating mainly in KNLA Brigade 1 territory. It is under the command of the National Unity Government (NUG) and Karen National Union (KNU).

Talking of the accidental killing Major Saw Kyaw Myint, the KNU Chairman of the Thaton District Alliance Affairs Supervision Committee said: “It was probably a misfire, but we aren’t certain of the details because the Zin Kyaik case has not yet been reported to us.”