Junta forces arrest 60 residents of Ah Myint Kyun village in Sittwe

Narinjara News, 25 June 2024

The junta forces  arrested 60 residents of Ah Myint Kyun village under Sittwe township in Arakan State on Saturday evening, said local villagers.

"The villagers under the age of 50 were arrested and they are yet to be released. Sittwe regional operations command conducted the arrests. They are currently being detained at the 344th light infantry battalion," informed a villager.

Many women gathered at the village monastery and the junta soldiers asked them to leave the village by 26 June.

"The gathered women alleged that many underage and disabled individuals were picked up by the soldiers. As they protested, the women are also ordered to leave the village urgently, added the villager.

Ah Myint Kyun village is situated along the Sittwe-Yangon highway and the majority of its residents have already left the village.

Those arrested are mainly manual labourers, who stayed in the village as they couldn't afford to leave due to the conflicts. Most of the detainees hail from the San Pya area of Ah Myint Kyun village.

Narinjara News tried to contact the military spokesperson U Hla Thein, Arakan State attorney general and Sittwe township administrator by telephone for further details, but did not receive any response.

The villagers are now worried as they are unable to make contact with the arrested residents till now.