According to the local residents, following the arming of the Ahryutaung local militia by the military junta, extortion in the region has intensified. This militia, led by the Lin Oo group, operates in the northern part of Ye Township in Mon State.

According to residents, the militia established two checkpoints: one at the entrance of Ahryutaung village and another on the road connecting Taungbon and Ahryutaung villages. These checkpoints were set up in the last week of July and the militia group has been extorting money from those passing through.  according to residents.

"They have opened a new checkpoint on the road to Taungbon village this past week. They demand money based on the type of vehicle; sometimes it's more than 10,000 kyats, and for trucks, it can be over 30,000 kyats. They also confiscate high-end phones with VPNs," a local said.

The Ahryutaung militia includes former militia members from other areas and migrant workers, with around 40 members patrolling regions that include the  Hninson, Sonnantthar, and Chaungtaung bridges.

"Since they got weapons recently, their activity has increased. If they don't recognize you, they thoroughly search you. Many of the militia members are migrant workers," the local added.

On July 24th, approximately 25 members of the Ahryutaung militia were armed by the Southeastern Military Command, according to local sources.

Previously, the military junta utilized local militia members for tasks such as sentry duty, tax collection, and soldier recruitment. Since being armed, these militia members are now involved in combat operations, acting as auxiliary forces.

The military junta has been conducting military training and arming local militias across the country.