A video of a British-backed 33rd Division column hiding a body was found among the fledgling soldiers, and they spoke about the perpetrators.
In a courtyard on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River, in front of two stilted buildings, a man sits, his eyes blindfolded and his hands tied behind his back, amidst people wielding guns and knives.
As the gunman shouted out a few questions, the crowd on the side waited anxiously, and someone in the crowd ordered, "I don't want to hear the gunfire."
"Are you from the PDF team?" he asked repeatedly, then signaled to those waiting nearby.
A guard held a knife and swiftly stabbed the chained man in the chest, causing only a scream. A man wearing an orange T-shirt also slashed his ankle with a machete.
He struggled and struggled with all his might, writhing under the constant blows of the sword, but it was all in vain for the man who was tied up.
"One by one...one in"
"Cut it...cut it"
"Video recording"
"What kind of guy is this?"
"PDF"
"Cut!!!!!!"
"I'm satisfied, big brother."
"You want to do something, right? You've never done it before, right? Okay..." They cut each other until their heads were cut off.
Then, they placed the severed head on the body's abdomen, took photographs in various positions, and celebrated noisily.
The murder, which looked like a scene from an uncensored horror movie, took place in the Mingun region of Sagaing Township, in the central part of the country, at the end of July.
Soldiers and militiamen stationed in Maezali Chaung village in Mingun region, Sagaing Township, which is famous for its tourism industry due to its iconic pagodas, including the Mingun Bell, did this to a civilian they had captured.
The military, which has been shooting even anti-coup protesters in the head, has been facing armed resistance across the country, and is resorting to methods such as arson, torture and killing in various areas where the revolution is strong.
There have been many incidents of the coup d'état dismembering and killing people captured during military operations in the region, although the military denies any involvement. However, the emergence of military-recorded footage of the above incident provides strong evidence of a military crime.
The incident occurred in Mae Zali Chaung village, about 7 miles north of Mingun Pagoda, according to the military commander of the "Dawn Soldier" battalion of the local defense group.
After clashes broke out in Ont Dai and Chaung Oo villages on July 24 and 26, the army deployed in Maezali Chaung village, adjacent to the north of Ont Dai village.
The residents of Maezali Chaung Village, which has over 100 households on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, make their living from agriculture and fishing.
Most of the villagers had fled in advance due to the fighting, but Ko Zaw Zhen, a 30-year-old from Maezali Chaung village, was caught by the military stationed in the village while bathing in the river on the morning of the incident.
After being tortured and questioned about his links to the PDF, he was killed around 3 pm in a compound south of the village near a monastery and school, according to defectors.
Those who defected to the PDF were recruits between the ages of 18 and 24 who were forcibly recruited as new soldiers in 2024 under the Civil Service Law. They then underwent three months of military training and were sent to the scene of the incident as reinforcements.
These young men from Yangon, Mandalay, Bago, and Nyaung-to-gyi Townships were sent to Sagaing Township after completing military training, and the military threatened that if they escaped and joined the revolutionary forces, they would be interrogated, tortured, and killed.
However, the young men say the military's brutality they encountered along the way strengthened their decision to flee.
Four young conscripts, waiting for their chance, escaped with two guns and surrendered to the Daw Ward on August 20.
The revolutionary forces learned of the shocking murder after watching four video clips downloaded from their mobile phones.
Myanmar Now was able to interview the four young men.
The youths say that, contrary to military propaganda, those who defected were treated well and were fed on an equal basis with members.
There are four videos in total that document the brutal incident from start to finish.
The first video, which is about 2 minutes and 25 seconds long, shows the interrogation, the beheading, and the celebration.