Troops from the military junta are believed to have confiscated mobile phones and other valuable items from residents during a raid on Sanpya village in Ye Township, Mon State.
According to local sources close to the authorities, at around 4 p.m. on February 15th, a column from Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 106, based in Mawt Ka Nin, entered the village and conducted house-to-house inspections.
A Ye resident with ties to the military said soldiers seized phones and valuables from shops and civilians along the main entrance road, including phone stores, money transfer businesses and private homes. Items were also reportedly taken from villagers encountered on the street.
“Villagers were too afraid to speak out. When the troops entered, they took whatever they saw. Even the village head could not intervene. They initially planned to stay overnight, but after internal disputes among themselves, they left the village around 6 p.m.,” the source said.
Troops from LIB 106 are reported to enter Sanpya village frequently and have previously threatened residents.
The raid came days after revolutionary joint forces launched an attack on a military junta checkpoint near the village. Local sources believe the latest entry into Sanpya may have been linked to that incident.
Earlier, in the days leading up to February 15th, troops from the same battalion are believed to have entered a monastery compound in Kaninkamawt village, where they confiscated cash and mobile phones from the abbot and several civilians staying on the premises.
“It was also Battalion 106 at that time. They behaved badly. They even took money from the monastery. They reportedly took 400,000 kyat from a relative of a novice monk, and others lost their phones and belongings,” the source added.
The military outpost positioned near Sanpya village is considered strategically important for controlling the No. 8 Union Highway. The site has been frequently targeted by revolutionary joint forces, resulting in repeated clashes in the area.
According to local sources, ongoing fighting between the two sides has forced hundreds of local residents to flee their homes on multiple occasions.
