Myanmar pro-junta actress-singer Lily Naing Kyaw dies after being shot in the head

Myanmar actress and singer Lily Naing Kyaw died in a hospital a week after being allegedly shot by gunmen in the head for supporting the military junta. The 58-year-old was seen as close to military leaders who seized power in a coup in 2021. Kyaw was also accused of being their informant, as per BBC reports.

The two alleged attackers accused of killing her have been arrested by the police.

They are said to be from an urban guerrilla group that opposes the military. Within hours of their arrest, two relatives of one of the alleged assailants were killed in apparent retribution, reported BBC.

The incident of Kyaw's killing is the latest in a series of assassinations of high-profile government supporters in the country.

Tint Lwin, a well-known nationalist and pro-military champion, was fatally shot in the head in Yangon. This was just four days before Kyaw was attacked.

Kyaw was targeted by the attackers on May 30 in the evening. The reports of her being shot came up after an imageof her face lying down in her car went viral on social media.

She was taken to hospital in critical condition and remained in a coma until she died early on June 6.

A statement issued by the government called the attack an "inhumane shooting of an innocent woman".

Seventeen pro-junta organisations released statements denouncing the killing. Ma Ba Tha, a hard-line nationalist Buddhist organisation, demanded better security.

Two men accused of the shooting, who were said to be the members of Special Task Force, were arrested.

One of them, named Kaung Zar Ni Hein, was identified from CCTV footage. The other attacker has been named Kyaw Thura. Both of them are in custody awaiting trial.

The military has claimed that prominent student leader D Nyein Lynn was behind the shooting.

On the night the two attackers were arrested, the mother and cousin of Kaung Zar Ni Hein, were fatally shot at their home in Yangon. His younger brother and younger sister managed to escape - the security forces are "protecting them from gunmen", BBC quoted a pro-military channel as saying.

However, there is no independent confirmation of the report and no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

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