Myanmar's military has led a bloody crackdown on dissent after taking power in last year's coup, sparking social unrest and a worsening economic crisis.
Self-declared civilian "people's defence forces" have sprung up to fight the junta, with dissidents also targeting officials perceived to be working with the military.
Deputy governor Than Than Swe, appointed by the military days after it seized power, was shot by unknown assailants at her house in Yangon late Thursday morning, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told AFP.
"She was shot this morning at about 11.30 am and was injured. She's now at the military hospital," he told AFP.
"We heard she's in good condition," he added, without giving more details.
No group has so far claimed the attack.
Across the country, there are almost daily killings of low-level junta officials or alleged informers, with details murky and reprisals from the military often following quickly.
Last November a top executive from Mytel -- a telecoms venture between Myanmar's military and Viettel, itself operated by Vietnam's army -- was gunned down outside his Yangon home.
On Sunday Myanmar's central bank ordered that foreign exchange earned by locals must be deposited in licensed banks and exchanged for the local kyat currency within one working day, with those failing to comply facing legal action.
The Southeast Asian nation's economy has been in chaos since the coup, with the junta seeking tighter control over scarce foreign cash.
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, is Copyright 1995-2026 Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principles for news reporting and research purposes. |