An American diplomat assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar, has been found dead under suspicious circumstances, the State Department confirmed on Wednesday.
The diplomat's body was discovered approximately two weeks ago at the Sakura Residence & Hotel, a long-term rental facility popular with diplomats and international visitors located about one mile from the embassy. According to three sources within the diplomatic community in Myanmar who spoke on condition of anonymity, police are treating the case as a possible homicide.
A Thai woman has been taken into custody in connection with the investigation, the sources said. Thailand's Foreign Ministry confirmed it has provided consular assistance to the detained woman and notified her family, but declined further comment.
The U.S. State Department, in an emailed statement to the Associated Press, confirmed the death of a U.S.
government employee assigned to the embassy in Yangon but provided no additional details, citing respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones. American officials in Thailand and the U.S.
Embassy in Myanmar referred all questions to the State Department. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been engulfed in violent conflict since the military overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.
The country is now embroiled in a civil war between the military-led government and a coalition of ethnic minority militias and pro-democracy forces. Authorities in Myanmar typically provide little information to the media.
The duty officer at the police station responsible for the area where the Sakura hotel is located refused to comment and hung up on an AP reporter. The manager of the Sakura hotel also declined to comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.