The bodies of two men were found by the roadside alongside Thway Thout militia calling cards in Aungmyethazan Township, Mandalay on the morning of 4 April, according to locals.

Thaway Thout, whose name translates as blood brothers or sisters, is a violent pro-junta militia that specialises in assassinating people opposed to the junta, such as NLD supporters. When they kill someone they often leave a Thway Thout calling card on the body to instill fear in their opponents.

"At midnight, we heard some noises. However, no one dared to go outside for a look. Two dead bodies were discovered on the road early in the morning,” said a local resident.

The names of the victims are unknown, but according to witnesses, they were both about 50 years old.

The junta said that the two men were supporters and members of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), according to Mandalay-based local media, though Mizzima has not yet been able to confirm this.

Previously, another man’s body with a Thway Thout calling card was discovered at the corner of 7th and 8th streets in Mandalay in the early hours of 2 April.

Following the February 2021 coup various military-aligned militias such as Thway Thwout and Pyu Saw Htee emerged.

Thway Tout murders NLD party members and people opposed to the coup living in urban areas. They mainly operate in Mandalay, but also, to a lesser degree, in other cities.

According to Mandaly-based media the Thway Tout militia has already murdered over 100 people in Mandalay, Kyaukse, Nyaung U, Myinchan, Taungtha, Natogyi, Nganzun, Mattara, Sinkuu, and Thabeikkyin townships.