The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that a US diplomat serving at the embassy in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, has died. The department declined to provide further details, citing respect for the family's privacy.

According to three sources in the diplomatic community in Yangon, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Myanmar police are treating the death as a possible murder. The body was discovered two weeks ago at a hotel about 1.5 kilometers from the US Embassy.

The hotel, which offers long-term rentals, is popular among diplomats, businesspeople, and international visitors. Myanmar police have not publicly commented on the case.

Thailand's Foreign Ministry confirmed it has provided consular assistance to the detained woman and notified her family, but declined to elaborate.

Myanmar has been engulfed in a civil war since the military coup overthrew the democratically elected government over five years ago. The military regime controls only about 21% of the country, with over 96,000 killed and 3.6 million displaced, according to ACLED and the UN.

Source: www.aljazeera.com