Narinjara News, 24 June 2022

At least nine civilians were detained by the junta forces in Sittwe after the Arakan Army (AA)members  arrested an army captain and a soldier on 23 June.

Among those detained civilians, six hail from plot number 9 & 10 in Mingan ward,  U Khin Maung Soefrom Singu street,  U Ba Thein from Sat Yo Kya ward and a Muslim person U Selim from Thekke Pyin market village under Sittwe township.

A woman from Mingan ward, who witnessed their arrest last night, informed that as many as 60 soldiersand police personnel armed with weaponsentered the locality. After they checked the guest-lists in some houses, the military personnelpicked up the residents.

One of the detainees Khin Maung Soe has an electronics shop on Singu street who was taken away by a militaryvehicle at around 5 pm on Thursday.

"The soldiers arrested my brother at gunpoint. He was forced to sit in their vehicle. The soldiers alsosnatched two new phone sets from the shop,”alleged a relative.

The Muslim individual, who is a village farmer, was arrested by the junta force at around 2 pm. He wastaken away by a military vehicle to anunknown place.

Anotherelder, Ba Thein,was arrested by Junta soldiersfrom Sat Yo Kya ward and yet tobe released.

“The current situation in Sittwe is alarming,” said Wai Hin Aung, a former political prisoner and a writer,adding that the traffic on roadshas dramatically decreasedfrom yesterday, as the security forces continue= monitoring the people.

In some places of Sittwe, the military council has arrested many pedestrians. Arakan Human RightsDefenders Association director U Myat Tun expressedconcern over the  situation and urged the authority to stop the process of arbitraryinterrogation.