U Htay Aung, Secretary of the Young Men's Buddhist Association (YMBA) in Thanbyuzayat Township, Mon State , was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen on January 17. He was 50 years of age.

He was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen while sitting at a roadside stall in Kyonkadat village on the Thanbyuzayat-Kyaikkhami road. He was with two companions, named U Than Tun Oo and U San Chane.

"U Htay Aung was sitting at the shop. He has links to the military. Two unidentified gunmen came up on a motorcycle, they shot him from behind and then drove towards Thanbyuzayat. No  arrests have been made yet," said a villager of Kyonkadat.

The gunmen were on a Wave 100cc motorcycle and fired 4 shots.

U Htay Aung’s body was taken to the township hospital by a charity.  Policy conducted an examination of the body.  They did not report any suspects.  

Since the  military coup, the YMBA Chair and a Secretary from Ye, Paung, Thaton and Thanbyuzayat townships have been killed.