Myanmar Spring Chronicle – July 2 Highlights
(MoeMaKa) July 3, 2025
The Puzzling Prisoner Escape Incident in Hlaing Tharyar
On the afternoon of June 1, a detainee named Ma Zun Pwint Hlaing, who was being held at the Hlaing Tharyar Township Police Headquarters under charges related to the Counter-Terrorism Law, was being transported to a hospital for medical reasons. During the transfer, an armed group of 3 or 4 individuals opened fire on the security escort—two deputy police officers—and forcibly took her away. This was reported by some media outlets later that evening and again in the morning of July 2. According to reports, one male deputy police officer died in the shooting, while the female officer sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
Based on those reports, it was initially suspected that the escape was carried out by urban guerrillas or members of a PDF (People’s Defense Force) unit.
However, by around noon on July 2, reports emerged that those who had assisted in Zun Pwint Hlaing’s escape had been captured in Thanlyin Township. CCTV footage from a parking area at a shopping center in Hlaing Tharyar, where the incident occurred, along with photos of the suspects, were released by Telegram channels affiliated with the military council. These revelations helped shed light on the individuals involved. It was discovered that two of the main actors in the armed escape operation were previously associated with a so-called “National Special Forces” PDF battalion, which they formed after the military coup while living in an ethnic armed group territory in Karen State. These individuals had raised donations, later surrendered to the military council, and had a prior history of betrayal.
Information also emerged that these leading figures had a bad reputation during their time in the ethnic armed group zones and that their collaborators were aware of their misconduct.
They had reportedly moved among two or three locations in ethnic armed-controlled areas of Karen State and, around 2023, surrendered to the junta with about 90 million kyats in donation funds and some weapons. This has led to suspicions and conspiracy theories. Social media posts from those who had known them in Karen State claimed that Zun Pwint Hlaing and the main suspect, known as Andrew a.k.a. Chit Zin Lin, were a married couple and had lived together there before surrendering to the junta in September 2023. It is also reported that Zun Pwint Hlaing’s current arrest is related to the alleged misappropriation of funds collected under the guise of supporting the PDF.
Initially, the shooting and escape led to assumptions that this was an urban guerrilla operation or PDF-linked action. However, some Yangon-based underground groups clarified that the incident had no connection with genuine PDF groups. CCTV footage from the parking area at Ocean Shopping Center in Hlaing Tharyar began circulating on social media. In the video, Chit Zin Lin, believed to have led the operation, is seen walking hand-in-hand with Zun Pwint Hlaing. Both deputy police officers appeared to be in plainclothes rather than uniforms. Furthermore, the nature of the hospital visit—being taken to a private clinic for treatment—raised questions. The junta’s statement claimed the destination was a pharmacy at Ocean Center, but from the security standpoint, it appears the police allowed the trip without strict measures, possibly due to bribery or negligence.
Revolutionary forces have expressed disappointment but not surprise, commenting that these individuals had already betrayed the movement by surrendering their weapons and misusing donation funds. Some have emphasized that such incidents serve as a reminder for supporters of the armed revolution to verify the integrity of the groups they donate to, as infiltration and betrayal are possible under the broad “PDF” label.
This case illustrates that financial fraud and eventual surrender to the junta by individuals like Chit Zin Lin are not isolated. It also highlights a broader issue: under the general name “PDF,” many fragmented armed groups without centralized leadership or command structure exist across Myanmar. In regions such as Sagaing, Magway, Bago, Mandalay, Tanintharyi, Karen, and Shan, various loosely organized armed groups still operate.
With the armed revolution now over four years old, the persistence of such disorganized structures raises critical questions. Lack of central control undermines military effectiveness and opens the door to financial exploitation under the guise of fundraising, potentially harming the credibility and sustainability of the armed resistance in the long term.