Five locals, including two women, in Ye Township, Mon State, were arrested by the military council on suspicion of supporting the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), according to local sources.
On September 10, a 19-year-old man and a 45-year-old Ko Aung Maung from Yan Kyi Aung Ward in Ye Township were arrested. The military council continued to detain Ko Thurein Soe from Yan Myo Aung Ward.
According to locals, two local women working at a drugstore in Yan Myo Aung Ward were also arrested on September 11.
A local from Aung Myitta Ward, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: “The military placed five people under arrest. First, they detained a young man living behind the Ayeyarwady Bank. Then, Ko Aung Maung from Yan Kyi Aung Ward was put under arrest. Following that, another young man from Yan Myo Aung Ward was arrested. The next morning, the military continued to arrest the young women.”
The five locals were detained after the military council received news that they supported the PDF. The arrests were made after house searches and phone inspections.
It is unclear where the detainees are being held in custody, and their families have not yet been able to contact them, according to the local reports.
Locals reported increased checks on guest registrations and frequent arrests of suspected youths in the neighborhoods due to rumors of a PDF coming to Ye Township.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), more than 800 civilians have been arrested in Mon State since the military coup in 2021, and over 200 have been released recently.
