Residents of Thaton District in Mon State are being arrested in broad daylight by the military junta and sent to military conscription offices, according to local sources.
Since the beginning of February, at least 20 young men aged 16 to 30 from Thaton District have been arrested, with some reportedly missing, a resident from Bilin said.
Both military junta troops and Pyu Saw Htee militia members, dressed in civilian clothing, have been conducting arrests at busy intersections during the day and night, a Bilin local reported.
“If a bystander gets caught, they are taken away as well. Once arrested, they can no longer be released by paying money. Families can’t even search for them, and the military junta does not provide any information,” he said.
Previously, detainees could secure their release by paying bribes. However, this is no longer possible, and families are unable to contact them, according to a local resistance group member in Bilin.
In addition to roadside arrests, authorities are also conducting large-scale, surprise household inspections, arresting individuals suspected of having ties to the resistance without informing local administrators.
Similarly, a young resident of Paung Township reported that authorities are increasingly arresting young locals on accusations of violating regional orders.
“We’re afraid to go outside—not because we don’t want to, but because it’s no longer safe. Honestly, it’s even safer to live illegally in Thailand than to stay in Myanmar,” he said.
According to Ko Aye Min Tun, an officer of PDF-Thaton District, as military conscription efforts intensify, more local youths are strengthening their connections with resistance groups.
Following the enactment of the new military conscription law in January, authorities have focused on conscripting women aged 18 to 27 across the country, according to a monthly report by the Burmese Women’s Union (BWU).
On February 11, the Ministry of Defense under the National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement urging young people forcibly conscripted under the military junta’s law to seek refuge with the nearest resistance forces.
