Than Htike
သန်းထိုက်
Commander of the Northwestern Command
Assumed office
6 January 2022
LeaderMin Aung Hlaing
Preceded byPhyo Thant
Personal details
BornBurma (now Myanmar)
Alma materDefence Services Academy
Military service
Allegiance Myanmar
Branch/serviceMyanmar Army
Rank Major General
CommandsNorthwestern Command (2022-present)

Major General Than Htike (Burmese: သန်းထိုက်, sometimes misspelt Than Hteik) is a Burmese military officer. He was appointed as the Commander of Myanmar's Northwestern Command based in Monywa, on 6 January 2022, succeeding Phyo Thant, who became deputy Minister for Border Affairs.[1][2] Phyo Thant had overseen mass military casualties during his leadership of the command.[3][4]

Military career

Than Htike graduated from the 38th batch of the Defence Services Academy.[5] Prior to his promotion as the commander of the Northwestern Command, he commanded military operations in Kalay.[5]

The European Union sanctioned Than Htike in November 2022 for leading military forces who perpetrated serious human rights violations, including the Let Yet Kone massacre, and the burning of 20,000 homes in Sagaing Region since the February 2021 coup.[6] In January 2023, he was sanctioned by the Canadian government.[7][8]

In February 2023, Than Htike's troops launched the Sagaing offensive, killing dozens of civilians and displacing tens of thousands of villagers.[9] Than Htike's 99th Light Infantry Division troops, dubbed the 'ogre column' by locals, killed at least 17 villagers during the Tar Taing massacre in March 2023.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Senior Myanmar Military Official Replaced in Surprise Move". The Irrawaddy. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  2. ↑ "Myanmar military's might fails to crush decades-old resistance". Nikkei Asia. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  3. ↑ "Notorious Junta General Removed from Upper Myanmar Command as Resistance Intensifies". The Irrawaddy. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  4. ↑ "Junta appoints new head of northwestern command". Myanmar NOW. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  5. 1 2 "Junta appoints new head of northwestern command". Myanmar NOW. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  6. ↑ "COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2022/2177 of 8 November 2022 implementing Regulation (EU) No 401/2013 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma". Official Journal of the European Union. 2022-11-08.
  7. ↑ Canada, Global Affairs (2023-01-31). "Backgrounder – Additional sanctions for Myanmar". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  8. ↑ "Than Hteik". opensanctions.org. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  9. 1 2 "The man behind the Myanmar junta's campaign of terror in Sagaing". Myanmar Now. 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
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