The chief of security at Yangon International Airport, Former Major Ye Khaing, was shot dead at about 7:00 p.m. on 19 June by the Urban Owls Yangon Guerrilla Force.

The Urban Owls said that they shot Ye Kaing nine times whilst he was in his car outside his house in Mingalardon Township in Yangon.

The guerrilla force claimed that Ye Khaing was a confidante of Tun Myint Naing, the owner of Asia World Company, a business that helps the junta and backs the junta’s Senior General Soe Win.

An Urban Owls representative explained that Ye Kaing prevented CDM participants, artists who support the revolution and people involved in the revolution from travelling from the airport and had them arrested. He also prevented well-known people from travelling and threatened innocent travellers, extorting money from them.

Urban Owls said: “Airport officials in Yangon have been unjustly arresting and oppressing revolutionaries, Civil Defence Movement (CDM) participants and tourists. We also have information about airport security officers, military officers, and airline officers who bully, bribe, and oppress passengers at the airport.”

The names of the airport officials who threaten people were included in a list handed over to the Urban Owls.

The Urban Owls warned Yangon residents that they must prepare themselves for an escalation in revolutionary activities in Yangon and asked them to support the revolution and revolutionary fighters in any way that they can.

“The most important period of the revolution will come soon. We are going to launch more targeted attacks now that we have a Yangon-based people’s defence force (PDF)”, said the Urban Owls representative.

Following the shooting, junta soldiers blocked off all of Khayay Avenue, checked the overnight guest lists, and are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area. None of the shooters have, so far, been identified or caught.