An INGO staff member was injured by the Tatmadaw’s gunfire in Mrauk-U and has received intense care in Sittwe hospital.

Ko Ye Lin Naing, working for Plan International, was shot by Myanmar military while he was driving his motorcycle in Kyauk Yit Kay ward in Mrauk-U town on Sunday night at about 7p.m., his elder sister Daw Yi Yi Myint said.

“He was shot by a soldier. The soldier said that he was lucky because he was not shot dead. The soldier said that he had to resort to shooting him because he did not stop his motorcycle when soldiers ordered him to stop,” Daw Yi Yi Myint said.

He was rushed to Mrauk-U hospital but his injuries were serious so he was transferred to Sittwe hospital on 29 July.

“His condition is critical. So, the doctor from Mrauk-U hospital transferred him to Sittwe hospital. His lung was torn by a bullet. He used up two bottles of blood last night during an operation. The doctor said that vessels in his heart are broken and he was concerned about his heart,” Daw Yi Yi Myint said.

He kept riding motorcycle when members of a military troop ordered him to stop, so they shot at him to frighten him, Colonel Win Zaw Oo from the Western Command told the DMG.

“He entered a monastery compound at about 8 p.m. while soldiers positioned themselves outside the monastery for security and told him to stop, but he turned around and ran away. So, soldiers fired warning shots and he was hit,” Colonel Win Zaw Oo said.

He added that security forces searched him and found a hand-grenade in his motorcycle and information related to the AA in his laptop, so he will be charged under Counter-Terrorism Laws.