Ethnic Danu political leader and businessman found dead in southern Shan State

The bodies of a prominent ethnic political leader and a local businessman were discovered on Tuesday in Nyaungpingwa village, located within the Danu Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) of southern Shan State. According to a Ywangan Township resident, the victims were identified as San Tint, the vice-chair of the Danu National Democracy Party (DNDP), and Aung Win Sein, a local businessman. The two men were reportedly abducted from their homes in Myinkyadoe village by an unidentified armed group on July 14. Their bodies were recovered later that same day. Tensions and warnings While no group has claimed responsibility for the double homicide, local sources indicated that San Tint had previously been warned by a local branch of the People’s Defense Force (PDF). The resistance group had reportedly cautioned him against assisting regime forces operating in Ywangan, located approximately 80 miles (129 km) southeast of the Shan State capital Taunggyi. The DNDP has not yet issued a public statement regarding the assassination of its vice-chair, and attempts to reach the party for comment have gone unanswered. The DNDP and regional instability Formed in July 2012, the DNDP serves as a political vehicle for the ethnic Danu nationality. The Danu population is primarily concentrated across six townships within the Danu SAZ: Taunggyi, Lawksawk, Ywangan, Pindaya, Kalaw, and Nawnghkio. Despite widespread boycotts of the military regime’s 2025-26 elections, the DNDP fielded candidates in seven Shan townships, ultimately winning one seat in the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament. Since the February 2021 military coup, Ywangan has transformed into a highly volatile and complex battleground. Civilians and local administrators are frequently caught in the crossfire between numerous armed actors vying for control. The region is currently contested by: