Regime detains at least five Minbya Twsp villagers

By Admin 12 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
12 December 2023, Minbya

At least five residents of Panmyaung Village, part of Arakan State’s Minbya Township, were reportedly arrested at their homes by regime soldiers at around 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

The arrestees have been identified as U Maung Aung Thein aka Nga Lone Chay, 60, U Than Maung Gyi, 56, U Go Chay, 40, U Kyaw Hsan Tun, 30, and U Hsan Tun Oo.

About 70 regime soldiers who were stationed on Mt. Taungphyu, about two miles east of Panmyaung Village, entered the village and abducted at least five residents, locals said.

“The junta soldiers entered the village and arrested some residents this morning. Some ferryboat owners are among the arrestees. Some ferryboat owners were reportedly forced to transport junta soldiers to Mrauk-U,” said a local man.

The reason for the arrests remains unknown and the arrestees are being held at a location in Panmyaung Village. The arrestees had not been released as of 12 noon on Tuesday.

About half of Panmyaung Village’s residents fled to safer locations as a junta helicopter and a jet fighter fired into nearby areas of the village on Monday evening.

Dozens of residents in Panmyaung Village fled to safer locations in fear following the junta’s arrest of some locals on the morning of December 12.

“We have fled to a safer location since yesterday due to the junta’s airstrikes. Mortar shells fired by the junta troops landed near the village. We were afraid of the junta shelling. We had to flee with difficulty and risk our lives,” said a local woman from Panmyaung Village.

Three children were killed and four others were injured after a mortar shell, fired by Myanmar military troops stationed on Mt. Taungphyu, fell in Panmyaung Village in 2019.

At least 10 out of 70 people detained by the regime have been charged under Sections 505(a) and (b) of the Penal Code during renewed hostilities between the military and Arakan Army (AA) in Arakan State, according to a DMG tally.