The body of a soldier from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) has been found, handcuffed and badly mutilated, in the eastern Burmese border town of Myawaddy. Saw Tanoe, a private in KNLA Brigade-6’s elite unit, went missing on 16 September while travelling on a motorbike taxi back from Myawaddy District’s Maehtaw Thalay area to his unit’s headquarters. Speaking to DVB on Tuesday, the KNLA’s liaison officer in Myawaddy, Maj. Saw Zorro, said Brigade 6 learned the soldier had been handcuffed and abducted by troops from the Border Guard Force (BGF) unit 1022 at one of their checkpoints, based on the account of the motorbike taxi driver who was apparently let go. [related] BGF-1022 is a former Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) battalion, which accepted a Burmese government-brokered deal to form a BGF in August 2010. “Saw Tanoe was travelling back to his mother unit when he was stopped at a checkpoint by BGF-1022,” said Saw Zorro. “They apparently told the motorbike taxi driver to leave, telling him it was not his concern. “Our man had not been seen since then, and yesterday his body was uncovered, still handcuffed.” He said KNLA Brigade 6 will be seeking answers from BGF-1022 officials. Representatives of BGF-1022 could not be reached for comment. Saw Tanoe becomes the second Karen fighter killed in the Myawaddy area after an incident on 19 September when a drunken DKBA soldier was shot dead by Burmese government forces and BGF troops.