The junta abducted 11 people, mostly young men, for conscription in Dawei, the capital of Tanintharyi Region, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Junta troops entered several central wards in Dawei on the night of August 4 and forcibly took away a total of 11 men, according to city’s residents.

Of those detained, five are from Sham Ma Lei Ward, one from Ta Lai Htein Ward, and five from U Tha Ran Ward.

“The soldiers came with a list of people selected for conscription. They went door to door in the wards, and as soon as they spotted someone on the list, they took them right away, no questions asked, no excuses accepted,” a Sham Ma Lei Ward resident said.

Armed with detailed information on conscription targets, the soldiers conducted thorough searches of homes and even took away a man in his 40s from U Tha Ran Ward, despite the fact that he was already over the eligible age for conscription.

In the past, the junta used to send conscription notices to the homes of young men in Dawei City. However, as most of the recipients fled in advance to avoid being drafted, the junta has since changed its approach, now arresting the young men at their homes first, and only sending the conscription notices to their families afterward.

Most of those recently abducted for conscription are young men between the ages of 20 and 25, born and raised in Dawei City, not migrants from other areas staying on temporary registries.

Those arrested for conscription have been gathered and held by the junta at Infantry Battalion 401 in Thabyaychaung Village near Dawei City. From there, detainees are being transported in batches by waterway to the junta’s Military Advanced Training Depot 12 in Palaw Town, Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, to undergo military training, sources close to the matter said.