Bodies of three missing women from Kyaukphyu discovered buried near Police Battalion No. 32 after three months

Narinjara News, January 8, 2026

The remains of three women who had been missing from Ohn Taw village in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, were found buried in a forest close to Police Battalion No. 32 by local residents on January 2.

The three women have been identified as Daw Hla Thein Shwe, aged 55; her daughter, Daw Aye Aye Thein, aged 31; and Daw Hla Thein Shwe’s niece, Ma Myint Win, who is 13 years old. On January 7, a local news organization called One Nation News from Rakhine published this information.

In early October 2025, five women, three of whom were from Ohn Taw village, were halted by soldiers of the Myanmar junta while they were looking for vegetables in their orchard garden close to the forest in Kyaukphyu.

According to a villager, two out of the five women returned, while the three garden owners persisted in their search for crops via a different path. The three women have not been located since that time.

After the women were reported missing, the remains of the three individuals were discovered close to Police Battalion No. 32, as stated by the local residents.

A resident of Kyaukphyu stated, “That forest is an area that people are afraid to enter. They understand that it is risky due to the presence of nearby soldiers; however, they lack food, which compels them to go and gather the crops.

Another resident mentioned, “We discovered all three buried at the same location. Each villager is aware that this was not a normal incident, yet no one knows what happened to the three women.”

According to local residents, numerous military camps are situated near Ohn Taw village and the Kyaukphyu Taw mountain range, with full security measures throughout the region.

Because of the ongoing road blockade in Kyaukphyu Township, residents encounter serious risks to their safety while searching for food and fish in the forest.

Women’s rights organizations report that, despite the ongoing military conflict in Rakhine State, women continue to experience sexual violence and severe damage from heavy weaponry without receiving adequate protection and support.