Over 30 Sittwe residents detained in three days during guest list checks

By Admin 30 Apr 2026

DMG Newsroom

30 April 2026, Sittwe

Residents in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State currently under regime control, report that junta officials are conducting surprise overnight guest list checks in crowded neighborhoods and public areas to carry out arrests and extort money.

Junta personnel conducted these surprise inspections for three consecutive days, from April 24 to 26, in neighborhoods including Shwe Pyar, Nazi, Ohn Tapin, and Myo Thugyi, arresting nearly 30 local residents.

"It happened right after Thingyan while people were relaxed. Some were arrested because they had not registered their guest lists yet, while others were taken on suspicion. I heard nearly 30 people were detained," said a male resident of Sittwe.

Locals added that the current status of the detainees and whether they will be released remains unknown.

Under the pretext of conducting overnight guest list checks, the regime is inspecting not only residential neighborhoods but also displacement camps and monasteries where internally displaced persons are staying.

"Some were reportedly arrested on allegations of hoarding goods for smuggling. I heard some families were able to get their relatives released by paying money. For manual labourers who cannot afford to pay, their release is uncertain. Sometimes they ransack the entire house, though we do not know what kind of information they are looking for," a female resident of Sittwe said.

Since the fighting began in Sittwe Township, the Arakan Liberation Party and the regime have been working together to arrest and extort locals, press-gang individuals into porter fees, and dismantle vacant houses to sell the materials.

A young male resident added, "In neighborhoods or homes with many men, they sometimes check twice a day. If an overnight guest list is not registered, they arrest you and extort money. Sometimes you get arrested just while staying at home and are only released after paying. I have been arrested nearly three times myself."

In Sittwe Township, the regime and the Arakan Army remain in a standoff, with frequent exchanges of heavy artillery fire.

Due to the regime's strict security measures, arrests, and blockades within Sittwe, basic manual laborers and internally displaced persons are facing significant hardships.