Kolkata, May 30 (TIWN) The outlawed Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) in Myanmar has alleged its second-in-command, 'Major General' Sao Khun Kyaw, was assassinated on May 26 by killers sent by the military junta.

"His security team was attacked and then he was shot by the assassin. Only he was killed and one of our other members was injured. We killed the assassin. 

"There was no personal grudge, he was killed by Myanmar's army," Tun told IANS .

But he refused to provide evidence of the assassin's links to the junta.  The spokesman said the group is still investigating the assassination.  Sao Khun Kyaw joined the armed struggle following the 1988 pro-democracy uprising and moved to the Kachin Independence Army territory. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the northern section of the All Burma Students' Democratic Front, responsible for military affairs.