Junta forces arrest Taungup administrator, municipal official while fleeing to Yangon

Kant Kaw Ni Ni, Narinjara News, 25 June 2024

The junta forces arrested the general administrator of Taungup township and municipal official,  who had left the town as the conflict erupted and the military situation deteriorated. 

The Taungup administrator  U Zar Ni Toe and municipal official  U Maung Sein were picked up by the junta soldiers while trying to run away towards Yangon.

"Both of them attempted to escape. One was apprehended at Kyoe Kyar Kwin checkpoint, while the other was arrested after reaching Nyaung Kyoe. The exact dates of their arrest are yet to be  known,” said a local resident.

Some say, both were arrested on 18 June while attempting to flee to Yangon through the Pandaung-Taungup.

"Both of them are currently held at the 5th military operations command (MOC-5) in Taungup. No information about the arrest of their families is available with Narinjara News,” added the resident.

They fled in panic as the Arakha Army (AA) offensive reached the Taungup urban areas.

As the fighting reached the urban areas, the departmental staff of military junta, including the township general administrator, was fleeing as they were worried about their safety in Taungup locality after it goes under the control of AA.

It is understood that many heads of district and township-level departments, including senior inspector San Nyunt of Taungup township police station, fled from the township.