Four government officials were killed on December 27 by members of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SAA) in Linkhay district, Shan State, according to officials at the Shan State police station.
The officials from the Forest Department went to Wansalong village in the district after receiving a tip-off on illegal logging in the area on December 26 and seized about 200 tonnes of Padauk timber.
Next day, ten officials from the department including Hla Min, a senior forestry official visited the area to check the seizure.
When the officials arrived near Wanhak village on their way back to Linkhay township at around 7 pm, about five members of (RCSS/SAA) started shooting at them, killing Hla Min (aged 55) and three other officials.
“Four were shot to death by about five members of (RCSS/SAA) during their trip to check the seized timber. Two others managed to escape during the shooting,” said Ohn Kyaw Min, a police officer from the Shan State police station.
“We haven’t received any information about the shooting, so we can’t make any comment,” said Colonel Sai La, a spokesman for RCSS/SAA.
The shooting incident is now under investigation. cr. eleven media photos shan news
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