Residents of the Palain area in Ye Township—including the villages of Du Yar, Kuu Ka To, Plone Theim, Nhi Nhu, Tha Gram, and An Din—say they have been moving about with great caution in recent days due to frequent incursions by Junta troops.
Following the killing of two Palain area administrators on September 14, junta forces have been entering the area almost daily in large numbers.
Currently, Junta troops in Palain are stationed along the Du Yar–An Din road and the Du Yar–Myothit Kone road, where they are stopping and inspecting travelers and local farmers as they please, according to a Ye resident.
“They don’t keep fixed checkpoints. Sometimes they wait in ambush, sometimes they stop people openly. With them around, farmers are afraid to go to their fields. If they do go, they fear being arrested,” the resident said.
As a result, some locals have temporarily suspended their farming activities, while others are adjusting their movements depending on the level of military inspection, he added.
On September 19, an exchange of gunfire reportedly broke out in the area between Junta troops and joint resistance forces, according to local sources.
“I’m not sure if it was around 8 or 9 p.m., but the shooting happened on the southern side of the village, toward the sea. It was far, so people don’t know exactly what happened. But recently, they’ve been coming down almost every day, and villagers are living in fear,” the resident said.
Reports have also emerged that Junta forces have detained 11 local youths suspected of involvement in the killing of the two administrators. However, Independent Mon News Agency has not been able to independently verify these claims.
Locals explained that An Din village tract of Ye Township, which includes An Din, Nhit Karout, Nhi Nhu, An Din Ywa Thit Dhamin Seik, Yae Pauk Thaung, Nga Mya Sakan, Plone Theim, and other villages, is commonly referred to as the Palain area.
