Zaw Min Tun (general)

Zaw Min Tun was born in Yenangyaung, Magway Region, Myanmar.^[12][13] He attended the Defence Services Academy (DSA) and he graduated as part of the 37th intake. Among his classmates was Zaw Htay, who later served as a spokesperson for both the Presidential Office under Thein Sein and the National League for Democracy (NLD) government.^[14][15]

Zaw Min Tun started his military career after graduating from the Defence Services Academy as part of the 37th intake. He became a spokesperson for the Tatmadaw and represents the military in public and press news conferences.^[16][17][18]

He enlisted in the Tatmadaw True News Information Team in 2018 when it was established. Serving along his military career, he began to gain experience in public messaging and media coordination.^[19][20]

On 5 February 2021, he was appointed head of the information team, and he succeeded Major General Soe Naing Oo. In the Tatmadaw True News Information Team, Zaw Min Tun worked alongside Major General Soe Naing Oo and Major General Tun Tun Nyi, and regularly holds press briefings, conferences, and meetings to provide updates, respond to inquiries, and clarify official positions to the media and the public.^[21][22]

When the 2021 coup d'état enfolded in Myanmar, Zaw Min Tun was appointed as Deputy Minister of Information of Myanmar on 7 February 2021. He succeeded Aung Hla Tun and continues to hold this position.

He was also appointed as Head of the Press Team of the State Administration Council on 5 February 2021 until the council was dissolved on 31 July 2025 and replaced by the newly established State Security and Peace Commission.

On 3 September 2025, he was appointed as Information Team Leader of the National Defence and Security Council. In all of these positions, Zaw Min Tun manages official communications, public statements, and media engagements for the council under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Prime Minister Nyo Saw.^[23][24]

Zaw Min Tun also served as Director of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare of the Myanmar Army from February 2021, and he succeeded Major General Tun Tun Nyi as the chief.^[25][26] He was serving in this position—until on 27 March 2026, he was removed and purged from the position due to his handling of the Commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's health spinal injury reporting. As reported in news media, he was replaced with Brigadier General Ye Yint Aung, who served as deputy director of the army director division.^[27][28][29]

Zaw Min Tun was absent from the 81st Myanmar Armed Forces Day parade on 27 March 2026 and related pre-ceremony events.^[30] His resignation is said to be linked to an upcoming cabinet reshuffle in April 2026, in which he is expected to be appointed Minister of Information of Myanmar or as the spokesperson of the President Office of Myanmar. He was promoted from brigadier general to major general in 2020.^[31][32]

Zaw Min Tun's removal from all of his duties and positions have been officially reported by the Irrawaddy— that China was behind the purge of his office positions, for his involvement in procuring restricted Chinese drones which was flagged by Beijing.

Chinese special envoy Deng Xijun during his official visit to Naypyidaw on 13 March 2026, provided information and evidence that Zaw Min Tun brokered the sales of Chinese drones to a company in Myanmar, even though Beijing openly announces to restrict their purchases outside of China.

Myanmar's military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing immediately went onto launching an investigation into Zaw Min Tun's case, in which he admitted to earning a brokerage fee of around US$20,000 for the drone deal.

His confession to this case led to his immediate dismissal and removal from all duties, as Deputy Minister of Information of Myanmar, Director of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare of the Myanmar Army, information chief of the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) and as military spokesperson. He was replaced with Brigadier General Ye Yint Aung, who previously served as deputy chief of the psychological warfare division.

Zaw Min Tun became the latest senior high-ranking Burmese army general and officer to be excluded from all official positions and duties.^[33][34]

Since his removal from all office positions, Zaw Min Tun has not appeared in the public, including his absence in the Myanmar Armed Forces Day parade on 27 March 2026—the same date that he was removed and replaced with Brigadier General Ye Yint Aung as director. From speculations, a range of it formed from the fact that the military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was dissatisfied with his reporting of the recent emergency spinal surgery ranging to the fuel crisis and corruption cases following his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla.

The Irrawaddy also reported on the fact that his fall came after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing had handpicked him as his new military information minister, as reward for his tireless defending of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état carried out by the Tatmadaw—Myanmar's armed forces, after alleging of fraud election in the 2020 Myanmar general election, and arrested well-known leaders and politicians of Myanmar, such as State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the former leader of the NLD party, and the former President of Myanmar U Win Myint.^[35][36]

Zaw Min Tun remains as an important spokesperson in the Tatmadaw. He regularly mentions about the civil war in Myanmar, conflicts and war. He has represented the Tatmadaw in local and international media.

He also provides information and updates on the Tatmadaw's operations and the situation in ground.

He regularly appears on public until his position as the Director of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare of the Myanmar Army, military spokesperson, and all official roles were removed on 27 March 2026. Since then, The Irrawaddy reported that he has not appeared in public—and that he had undergone an interrogation following his involvement in procuring restricted Chinese drones.^[37][38][39]

In 2024, the death of Ashin Munindabhivamsa drew public attention and widespread scrutiny. The Tatmadaw reported that the incident may have been caused by mines laid by the People's Defence Forces. On 21 June 2024, Zaw Min Tun stated that action would be taken against those responsible.

In October 2024, Zaw Min Tun's cousin, Lieutenant Colonel Thet Paing Tun, was killed by resistance forces across Myanmar after he was captured during fighting near the Lucky Men Hotel in Hpakant, Kachin State.^[40][41]

On 4 January 2026, Zaw Min Tun received awards and honours of the Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha (Order of the Union of Burma) and the Sithu honor, two of Myanmar's highest national civilian honors, during Myanmar's Independence Day. He was given those awards in recognition of his public service and contributions in the Myanmar Army.^[42][43]

Zaw Min Tun is married to Thin Thin Aung, and the couple has one child, Thar Htet Htun.^[44] The family generally maintains a low public profile, while they also appear at some official military and government events.

Since removal from all of his duties, he has not appeared in the public, and he was absent in major military events, such as the Myanmar Armed Forces Day parade on 27 March 2026, the same date that all of his positions were stripped off of from him. It is said that he is currently undergoing an investigation following his case.^[45][46]

• State Administration Council
• Ministry of Information (Myanmar)
• National Defence and Security Council
• Tatmadaw True News Information Team