On March 4, a Buddhist abbot engaged in charity work and his assistant were shot and killed in Ohn Taing village, Nahi village tract, Pekhon Township, southern Shan State, after being accused of being informants.

The abbot, U Dhammasara (U Zin Pain), aged 47, was temporarily staying at Ohn Taing village and belonged to the Shan Pitakat Monastery in the eastern market quarter of Pekhon. His assistant, Sai Khin Maung Lat (aka Aik Pi), was 40 years old. A group of armed men stormed the village monastery and fatally shot both victims.

On March 5, the Pekhon People’s Defense Force (PDF) denied any involvement in the incident and stated that they would cooperate with relevant organizations to uncover the truth. However, on March 9, the Pekhon People's Liberation Front (PLF) claimed on social media that a local armed group called "Bee Army" was responsible for the killings.

According to a statement by the Bee Army, they accused the abbot and his assistant of being military informants, leading one of their members to execute them. Their statement alleged that the abbot had been relaying information to the military and persuading displaced civilians to return to Pekhon. They claimed to have found phone records linking him to military contacts.

The Bee Army further stated that while attempting to escort the abbot away, he resisted, prompting a fighter named Maung Ba Lat to shoot him in frustration. The assistant, Aik Pi, reportedly ran toward the scene and was also shot.

They insisted that their actions were based on concrete evidence and not mere suspicion. The group also announced that Maung Ba Lat acted impulsively and that an internal investigation was underway.

Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere. On February 27, in Sar Kyin village, Kyunhla Township, an 85-year-old abbot, Bhaddanta Nandiya of Aung Chan Thar Monastery, was attacked inside his monastery. PDFs allegedly accused him of being an informant before attacking him with a machete and a firearm, leading to his death.

On February 14, in Kan Gyi Taw village, Shwebo Township, a Catholic priest, Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, was also killed. A group of 10 local PDF members reportedly accused him of being an informant and executed him with a machete.

 While local armed groups are often not held accountable for such killings, the National Unity Government (NUG) responded to Father Donald Martin's case by announcing the arrest of those responsible. The suspects, members of a regional defense force, were to be prosecuted according to the law, and an investigative tribunal had been formed.

The NUG also condemned all attacks on religious leaders and civilians, pledging to take legal action against perpetrators regardless of affiliation.

As of June 2024, over 100 Buddhist monks and one Christian priest had died due to the ongoing conflict. The majority of slain monks, over 90%, were reportedly killed by PDFs based on various accusations. Additionally, since February 1, 2021, more than 10,000 civilians have lost their lives amid the armed conflict.