Bodies of Three Women Killed By Myanmar Junta Found Amid Blockade in Kyaukphyu, Struggling for Survival

News January 8, 2026

It has been learned that the bodies of three women, who were searching for food and livelihood due to military tensions and road blockades in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State—which remains under the control of the military council—have been discovered after being killed.

The skeletal remains of three missing women from Aung Taung village in Kyaukphyu Township were found by locals on January 2 in the foothills near the military council's No. (12) Police Battalion.

The deceased have been identified as Daw Hla Thein Shwe (55 years old), her daughter Daw Aye Aye Thein (31 years old), and her niece Ma Pyi Thuzar Win (13 years old), all from the same family.

Local residents said that these three women encountered military council troops while going to their garden near the Kyaukphyu hills in early October 2025, after which they lost contact.

A Kyaukphyu resident said: “That area in the hills is a place where people don't dare to go. It's near where soldiers are stationed, so everyone knows it's very dangerous, but with no food left, they have no choice but to go harvest crops.”

On the same day, five other locals from Aung Taung village also went to the garden, but soldiers blocked them, allowing two to turn back. However, the three women owners of the garden entered via another route.

Another local man said: “All three were found buried in the same place. Every villager knows this wasn't an accident. But no one knows exactly what happened.”

The area around Aung Taung village and the Kyaukphyu hills is home to numerous military council camps, with full security measures in place nearby, according to locals.

Currently, due to road blockades in Kyaukphyu Township, residents are facing life-threatening dangers while venturing into the hills and forests to forage for vegetables or fish for survival.

Women's rights organizations have also stated that women in the Rakhine region continue to face sexual violence and heavy artillery injuries amid ongoing military conflicts, but they have yet to receive effective protection or assistance.

source@onenationnews